背景：電針刺激已被證實可以改善STZ誘發實驗糖尿病大鼠的神經再生狀況，但是電針介入時間點造成的影響尚未被研究，且大多數實驗均未加入針灸穴位及經絡概念，本實驗即是要探討電針介入時間點對糖尿病大鼠神經再生的影響。方法與結果：實驗對象為五十隻Sprague-Dawley 大鼠，分成五組：A至D組為STZ誘發之糖尿病大鼠，E組為正常大鼠，以矽膠製神經管縫合大鼠之截斷坐骨神經，同時對此截斷長距離10 mm之神經斷端兩側腧穴(環跳和陽陵泉)施與一電針刺激，採1mA、2Hz固定電針刺激穴位環跳穴(陰極)及陽陵泉穴(陽極)，A至C組接受每兩天十五分鐘之電刺激，持續兩周，A組從術後隔日起接受電針刺激，B組為術後第八天開始，C組為術後十五天開始，D組為無電針糖尿病大鼠，E組為無電針正常大鼠，術後三十日評估結果，結果顯示A組(術後隔日電針DM大鼠)表現出較高之神經再生率，在電生理檢測方面，A組的腓腸肌動作電位面積和振幅也顯著大於無電針DM大鼠。結論：術後立即給予電針刺激能改善糖尿病大鼠嚴重神經損傷的功能恢復。
Background: Electrical stimulation (ES) has been shown to promote nerve regeneration in rats with experimental diabetes induced using streptozotocin (STZ). However, the time-course effect of ES on nerve regeneration of diabetic animals has not reported in previous studies. The present study attempted to examine the effect of different timing of ES after peripheral nerve transection in diabetic rats.
Methodology/Findings: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. They were classified into five groups. STZ-induced diabetes was created in groups A to D. Normal animals in group E were used as the non-diabetic controls. The sciatic nerve was transected and repaired using a silicone rubber conduit across a 10-mm gap in all groups. Groups A to C received ES for 15 minutes every other day for 2 weeks. Stimulation was initiated on day 1 following the nerve repair for group A, day 8 for group B, and day 15 for group C. The diabetic control group D and the normal control group E received no ES. At 30 days after surgery in group A, histological evaluations showed a higher success percentage of regeneration across the 10-mm nerve gap, and the electrophysiological results showed significantly larger mean values of evoked muscle action potential area and amplitude of the reinnervated gastrocnemius muscle compared with group D.
Conclusions/Significance: It is concluded that an immediate onset of ES may improve the functional recovery of large nerve defect in diabetic animals.
