Short-duration, DC electrical stimulation increases chick embryo DRG neurite outgrowth.

This study aimed to reveal the influence of brief DC electric stimulation on neurite outgrowth and outgrowth rates after application. Chick embryo dorsal root ganglia neurite outgrowth, rates, and overall alignment to EF were measured before stimulation and at two time points after stimulation. The presence of a 25 V/m EF for 10 min increased overall neurite outgrowth over controls for up to 48 h after stimulation and all growth was symmetric. These results demonstrate that even 10 min of stimulation, which is approximately 80% shorter than previous studies, promotes enhanced nerve growth. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.