Peripheral nerve carbonic anhydrase activity and chronic acetazolamide treatment of rats.

Examination of cranial nerves shows that the sensory infraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve contains many carbonic anhydrase-reactive axons whereas axons of the motor facial nerve are non-reactive. This motor/sensory axon staining difference holds for both cranial and spinal nerves. Chronic treatment with acetazolamide produced no apparent changes in carbonic anhydrase histochemical activity or the structure of peripheral nerve fibers.