Dorschner Benjamin, Süße Herbert, Ortmann Wolfgang, Irintchev Andrey, Denzler Joachim, Guntinas-Lichius Orlando
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Lessingstrasse 2, D-07743 Jena, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Fetscherstrasse 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
Department of Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07740 Jena, Germany.
J Neurosci Methods. 2016 Sep 15;271:143-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.07.015. Epub 2016 Jul 22.
The two-dimensional videographic analysis of vibrissal movements in behaving rodents has become a standard method to estimate the degree of functional impairment and recovery after facial nerve injuries quantitatively. The main limitation of the method is the time consuming, uneconomic process of manually tracking the vibrissae in video sequences.
We developed a novel tool allowing automated detection of untagged vibrissae (two on each side of the snout). To compare the new method with the standard manual tracking approach, we used videos of unrestrained rats with unilateral section and immediate suture of the facial nerve performed two months earlier.
Measurement agreement analyses showed that the two methods are equivalent for both "normal" high-amplitude vibrissal movements (non-operated side) and low-amplitude whisking (reinnervated side). Spectral analysis revealed a significant deviation in the power spectra on the control and injured side, indicating that bilaterally coordinated whisker movements are not present two months after surgery.
COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): The novel method yields results equal to those of the manual tracking approach. An advantage of our tool is the possibility to significantly increase sample size without additional labor cost.
The novel tool can increase the efficacy and spectrum of functional measures used in facial nerve regeneration research.
对行为学啮齿动物触须运动进行二维视频分析已成为定量评估面神经损伤后功能损害程度和恢复情况的标准方法。该方法的主要局限性在于，在视频序列中手动跟踪触须既耗时又不经济。
我们开发了一种新型工具，可自动检测未标记的触须（口鼻两侧各两根）。为了将新方法与标准手动跟踪方法进行比较，我们使用了两个月前进行面神经单侧切断并立即缝合的自由活动大鼠的视频。
测量一致性分析表明，对于“正常”的高幅度触须运动（未手术侧）和低幅度摆动（再支配侧），两种方法等效。频谱分析显示，对照侧和损伤侧的功率谱存在显著差异，表明术后两个月不存在双侧协调的触须运动。
新方法产生的结果与手动跟踪方法相同。我们工具的一个优点是能够显著增加样本量而无需额外的劳动力成本。
这种新型工具可提高面神经再生研究中功能测量的效率和范围。
