Conduction velocities and myelinated fiber diameter spectra of the infraorbital and palpebral nerves of the dog.

Maximum conduction velocities of compound-action potentials of the infraorbital (ION) and palpebral (PN) nerves were determined by averaging potentials evoked and recorded through subcutaneous needle electrodes. The specificity of the stimulating and recording sites was verified by recording before and after cutting the nerves. Conduction times for orthodromically and antidromically conducted potentials of the ION were essentially the same. The unipolarly recorded antidromic compound-action potentials of the ION were of higher peak-to-peak amplitude and were more reliably recorded than were the bipolarly recorded orthodromic action potentials. Areas of cutaneous innervation were not found for the PN. Neuromuscular blockade eliminated the volume-conducted muscle action potentials that were recorded after PN stimulation, allowing triphasic nerve action potentials to be recorded unobscured. Mean conduction velocities were: ION = 83.9 +/- 3.5 m/s; PN = 56.4 +/- 2.8 m/s. Distributions of the external diameters of myelinated fibers within the ION and the PN were determined.