The influence of nimodipine on chromatolysis of motoneurons following axotomy with and without reinnervation: A quantitative image analysis

• Published in: Neuroscience research communications 1996-09, Vol.19 (2), p.101-107
• Main Authors: Guntinas-Lichius, O., Martinez-Portillo, F.J., Schulte, E., Stennert, E., Neiss, W.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: degeneration; facial nerve; hypoglossal nerve; image analysis; nimodipine; regeneration
• ISSN: 0893-6609; 1520-6769
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6769(199609)19:2<101::AID-NRC169>3.0.CO;2-1

Using a recently developed image analysis method to quantify the time course of chromatolysis in injured motorneurons we tested the effect of the calcium entry blocker nimodipine (1000 ppm in food pellets) on regenerating and degenerating motoneurons. Following facial‐facial, hypoglossal‐hypoglossal anastomosis with complete regeneration and following facial and hypoglossal nerve resection which causes a partial neuronal degeneration and postoperative survival times of 4 to 112 days, the texture of the Nissl substance of facial and hypoglossal motoneurons was analyzed on both sides of the brainstem in paraffin serial sections with a VIDASplus image analyzer. Monitoring alterations of the Nissl substance in 252 Wistar rats we measured an effect of nimodipine in the cytoplasm of the injured neurons: nimodipine attenuated the chromatolytic reaction in regenerating and degenerating motoneuron pools in comparison to placebo treatment. These data are consistent to previous findings that nimodipine has profound neuroprotective effects.