Nerve strain correlates with structural changes quantified by fourier analysis. Issue 3 (27th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Love, James M.; Chuang, Ting‐Hsien; Lieber, Richard L.; Shah, Sameer B.
• Is Part Of: Muscle & nerve. Volume 48:Issue 3(2013:Sep.)
• Page Start: 433
• Page End: 435
• Publication Date: 2013-07-27
• Subjects: Neuromuscular diseases -- Periodicals; Muscles -- Periodicals; Nerves -- Periodicals; 616.74
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.23809
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0148-639X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p> <italic>Introduction</italic>: Nerve deformation affects physiological function. Bands of Fontana are an optical manifestation of axonal undulations and may provide a structural indicator of nerve strain. <italic>Methods</italic>: We developed an automated Fourier‐based image processing method to quantify the periodicity of bands of Fontana both in bright field images and in axonal undulations in immunolabeled longitudinal sections. <italic>Results</italic>: We found a strong linear relationship between applied strain and the frequency of bands of Fontana in rat sciatic nerves (−0.0056 μm⁻⋅%⁻, r² = 0.829; <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). This relationship agreed with the observed trend between strain and axonal waviness, calculated from longitudinal sections of sciatic nerves immunolabeled against myelin basic protein. <italic>Conclusions</italic>: This accurate and objective approach has potential to increase our understanding of structure–function relationships in the nervous system and to guide preservation and enhancement of neural function. <italic>Muscle Nerve</italic><bold>48</bold>: 433–435, 2013</p> </abstract>