Peripheral nerve injury induces functional reorganization of the central nervous system. The mechanisms underlying this reorganization have been widely studied. Our previous study involving multiple-site optical recording reported that a neural excitatory wave induced by somatic stimulation begins in a small area and propagates in the cortex. In the present study, to examine the possible role of this propagation wave in cortical reorganization, we analyzed the early changes in the spatio-temporal pattern of the sensory-evoked wave immediately, and 30 min, after nerve injury. The response to hypothenar stimulation, innervated by the ulnar nerve and adjoining the median nerve area, persisted after injury to either the ulnar or median nerve. Initially, we assessed changes in the response pattern at the focus. The latency increased after ulnar nerve injury, whereas no change was observed after median nerve injury. Similarly, no change was noted in the duration of the response signal with either nerve injury. Second, changes in the propagation wave pattern were analyzed. Ulnar nerve injury decreased the propagation velocity in the medial direction but the median nerve injury induced no changes. These results indicated that the propagation wave pattern is readily altered, even immediately after nerve injury, and suggest that this immediate change in the spatio-temporal pattern is one of the factors contributing to the cortical reorganization.

周围神经损伤引起中枢神经系统的功能重组。重组的基础机制已得到广泛研究。我们先前的涉及多点光学记录的研究报告说，由体细胞刺激引起的神经兴奋波始于小区域，并在皮质中传播。在本研究中，为了检查这种传播波在皮层重组中的可能作用，我们分析了神经损伤后立即和30分钟时感觉诱发波的时空模式的早期变化。尺神经或中神经损伤后，对尺神经刺激的反应受到尺神经支配并与正中神经区相邻。最初，我们重点评估了响应模式的变化。尺神经损伤后潜伏期增加，而正中神经损伤后未观察到变化。同样，任何一种神经损伤的反应信号持续时间都没有变化。其次，分析了传播波型的变化。尺神经损伤使内向传播速度降低，但中位神经损伤无变化。这些结果表明，即使在神经损伤后，传播波的模式也容易改变，并且表明时空模式的这种立即变化是促成皮质重组的因素之一。分析了传播波型的变化。尺神经损伤使内向传播速度降低，但中位神经损伤无变化。这些结果表明，即使在神经损伤后，传播波的模式也容易改变，并且表明时空模式的这种立即变化是促成皮质重组的因素之一。分析了传播波型的变化。尺神经损伤使内向传播速度降低，但中位神经损伤无变化。这些结果表明，即使在神经损伤后，传播波的模式也容易改变，并且表明时空模式的这种立即变化是促成皮质重组的因素之一。