Regeneration of the spinal ventral roots. An experimental study in cats.

From a clinical standpoint recovery of spinal nerve roots is less likely than that of peripheral nerves, despite their identical structures. This may be due to several factors including the length of gap to be bridged, changes in the proximal stump or neuroma, and chromatolysis. In this paper we discuss the roles of some of these factors in relation to the neuronal depopulation in the spinal cord anterior horn area following section of the anterior root. The lack of growth or the successful growth of the axon through the gap in the root influences the degree of depopulation in the anterior horn area.