Time course of degeneration and regeneration of myelinated nerve fibres following chronic loose ligatures of the rat sciatic nerve: can nerve lesions be linked to the abnormal pain-related behaviours?

This study of a mononeuropathy of 1-15 weeks (W) duration was induced in rats by setting 4 loose ligatures around the common sciatic nerve. This chronic lesion, in which the continuity of the nerve was maintained, has been introduced as a model for experimental pain. Quantitative analyses of teased nerve fibres and a morphometric analysis of semi-thin transverse sections, were performed and completed by electron microscopic examination. Morphological changes were observed mainly distal, but also proximal, to the ligatures, indicating significant axonopathy with simultaneous degeneration and regeneration. The lesions were analysed in parallel with the time course of the pain-related behaviours. Both were at their maximum 2 weeks after ligature with progressive recovery beginning between W3 and W4. However, the largest fibres had not totally recovered by W15, contrasting with the disappearance of abnormal nociceptive reactions between W8 and W10. Although the damage to unmyelinated fibres is of importance, the abnormal pain-related behaviours seen in these rats appeared to be closely linked to the presence of both degenerative and regenerative changes in the A delta-range fibres, which did not necessarily correspond to initial A delta fibres.