Experimental study of denervated rat muscle. Part II: The effects of electrical stimulation on the denervated rat muscles

Abstract

Electrical stimulation has been widely employed for the treatment of peripheral nerve lesion, however, its effects are not well known. Effects of electrical stimulation on denervated muscles were studied by measuring the weight of anterior crural muscles and the diameter of muscle fibers of the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the rat. The muscle fibers were classified by myofibrillar ATPase reaction. The denervated muscle showed loss of weight, a marked decrease in diameter of type 1 fibers and a small increase in diameter of type 2 fibers. Electrical stimulation suppressed weight loss of the denervated muscles. Electrical stimulation with high frequency cycle, like phasic motoneuron discharges, significantly suppressed the increase in diameter of type 2 muscle fibers. Electrical stimulation with low frequency cycle, like tonic motoneuron discharge, significantly suppressed the decrease in diameter of type 1 muscle fibers.