Nerve regeneration in exogenous cerebral ganglioside-treated rats.

Intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg of exogenous cerebral gangliosides resulted in a statistically significant (23%) increase (compared with saline-injected controls) in the tetanic isometric tension of the rat plantaris muscle 7 days after section of the fourth lumbar root (L4). In a second experiment, intraperitoneal-injected exogenous gangliosides were found to have no effect on axonal regeneration following cryo-injury to the sciatic nerve. These results lead to the possibility of an early enhancement of muscular collateral sprouting in partially denervated muscles under an intraperitoneal-injected ganglioside mixture treatment.