Vallbo Åke Bernhard
Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
J Neurophysiol. 2018 Sep 1;120(3):1415-1427. doi: 10.1152/jn.00933.2017. Epub 2018 Jun 20.
In the first section, this historical review describes endeavors to develop the method for recording normal nerve impulse traffic in humans, designated microneurography. The method was developed at the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology of the Academic Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden. Microneurography involves the impalement of a peripheral nerve with a tungsten needle electrode. Electrode position is adjusted by hand until the activity of interest is discriminated. Nothing similar had previously been tried in animal preparations, and thus the large number of preceding studies that recorded afferent activity in other mammals did not offer pertinent methodological guidance. For 2 years, the two scientists involved in the research impaled their own nerves with electrodes to test various kinds of needles and explore different neural systems, all the while carefully watching for signs of nerve damage. Temporary paresthesiae were common, whereas enduring sequelae never followed. Single-unit impulse trains could be discriminated, even those originating from unmyelinated fibers. An explanation for the discrimination of unitary impulses using a coarse electrode is inferred based on the electrical characteristics of the electrode placed in the flesh and the impulse shapes, as discussed in the second section of this paper. Microneurography and the microstimulation of single afferents, combined with psychophysical methods and behavioral tests, have generated new knowledge particularly regarding four neural systems, namely the proprioceptive system, the cutaneous mechanoreceptive system, the cutaneous nociceptive system, and the sympathetic efferent system to skin structures and muscular blood vessels. Examples of achievements based on microneurography are presented in the final section.
在第一部分，这篇历史回顾描述了开发用于记录人类正常神经冲动传输方法（即微神经ography）的努力。该方法是在瑞典乌普萨拉学术医院临床神经生理学系开发的。微神经ography涉及用钨针电极刺入外周神经。通过手动调整电极位置，直到区分出感兴趣的活动。以前在动物实验中从未尝试过类似的方法，因此之前大量记录其他哺乳动物传入活动的研究没有提供相关的方法指导。在两年时间里，参与研究的两位科学家用电极刺入自己的神经，以测试各种针并探索不同的神经系统，同时仔细观察神经损伤的迹象。短暂的感觉异常很常见，但从未出现持久的后遗症。即使是来自无髓纤维的单单位冲动序列也能被区分出来。如本文第二部分所讨论的，基于置于组织中的电极的电学特性和冲动形状，推断出使用粗电极区分单一冲动的一种解释。微神经ography和单根传入神经的微刺激，与心理物理学方法和行为测试相结合，产生了新的知识，特别是关于四个神经系统，即本体感觉系统、皮肤机械感受系统、皮肤伤害感受系统以及支配皮肤结构和肌肉血管的交感传出系统。最后一部分展示了基于微神经ography的成果实例。
