Electrical stimulation promotes regeneration and re-myelination of axons of injured facial nerve in rats

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) on the nerve regeneration and functional recovery of facial expression muscles in facial nerve defect rats.MethodsSixty rats were surgically introduced with a 1-cm defect on the right facial nerves and evenly divided into the Surgery group (Group A, the main trunk of the right facial nerve was surgically cut-off with a 1.0 cm at the foramina stylomastoideum) and the Surgery + ES group (Group B). Twenty normal rats were as normal control group (without receiving surgery or ES). For rats in group B, the orbicularis oris muscle of the right paralyzed face was stimulated with an electrical pulse of 3 V, 20 Hz and 0.3 mA for 1 h each day. The effects of ES on the facial muscle movement, compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs), histological structure, and the expression levels of S100B and NF200 proteins were comparatively studied.ResultsIn group A, facial paralysis scores were slightly improved from day 1 to 28; the facial nerve trunk...