Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.
ACS Biomater Sci Eng. 2023 Jun 12;9(6):3512-3521. doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00222. Epub 2023 May 1.
This study aimed to investigate the effect of electrical stimulation on poly(d,l-lactide--ε-caprolactone) nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) in promoting the recovery of facial function and nerve regeneration after facial nerve (FN) injury in a rat model. In the experimental group, both the NGC and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ES) were used simultaneously; in the control group, only NGC was used. ES groups were divided into two groups, and direct current (DC) and charge-balanced pulse stimulation (Pulse) were applied. The ES groups showed significantly improved whisker movement than the NGC-only group. The number of myelinated neurons was higher in ES groups, and the myelin sheath was also thicker and more uniform. In addition, the expression of neurostructural proteins was also higher in ES groups than in the NGC-only group. This study revealed that FN regeneration and functional recovery occurred more efficiently when ES was applied in combination with NGCs.
本研究旨在探讨电刺激对聚(D,L-乳酸-ε-己内酯)神经引导导管(NGC)的影响,以促进面神经(FN)损伤后大鼠模型中面神经功能的恢复和神经再生。实验组同时使用 NGC 和经皮电神经刺激(ES);对照组仅使用 NGC。ES 组分为直流(DC)和平衡电荷脉冲刺激(Pulse)两组。ES 组的胡须运动明显优于 NGC 组。ES 组的有髓神经数量较高,且髓鞘较厚且更均匀。此外,ES 组的神经结构蛋白表达也高于 NGC 组。本研究表明,当 ES 与 NGC 联合应用时,FN 再生和功能恢复更为有效。