Introduction/aims: Motor function recovery is frequently poor after peripheral nerve injury. The effect of different numbers of nerve crushes and exercise on motor function recovery is unknown. We aimed to examine how different numbers of crushes of the rat sciatic nerve affects muscle reinnervation and plasticity of spinal circuits and the effect of exercise intervention.
Methods: Single and multiple sciatic nerve crush models with different numbers of crushes were created in rats. Treadmill exercise was performed at 10 m/min for 60 min, five times a week. Muscle reinnervation and synaptic changes in L4-5 motor neurons were examined by immunofluorescence staining. Behavioral tests were the sciatic functional index (SFI) and the pinprick tests.
Results: The percentage of soleus muscle reinnervation was not significantly increased by the presence of exercise in single or multiple crushes. Exercise after a single crush increased the contact of motor neurons with VGLUT1-containing structures (Exercised vs. Unexercised, 12.9% vs. 8.7%; p < .01), but after multiple crushes, it decreased with or without exercise (8.1% vs. 8.6%). Exercise after a single crush significantly improved SFI values from 14 to 24 days, and exercise after multiple crushes from 21 to 35 days (all p < .05). The pinprick test showed no difference in recovery depending on the number of crushes or whether or not exercised.
Discussion: Different numbers of sciatic nerve crushes affect muscle reinnervation and motor neuron synaptic changes differently, but motor function recovery may improve with exercise regardless of the number of crushes.
Keywords: exercise; motor function; motor neuron; neuromuscular junction; sciatic nerve injury.
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