A novel method of head fixation for the study of rodent facial function

Hadlock, Tessa A.; Kowaleski, Jeffrey M.; Mackinnon, Susan E.; Heaton, James T.

doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2007.02.014

Cited by 33 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…In an attempt to compensate for the resulting decrease in sensory stimuli, rats react with significantly larger than normal and therefore nonphysiological, vibrissal excursions of the order of 90° (Bermejo et al 1996(Bermejo et al , 1998Bermejo and Zeigler 2000;Hadlock et al 2007).…”

Section: Stretching Of the Facial Nerve By Medial Displacement Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Nerve crush but not displacement-induced stretch of the intra-arachnoidal facial nerve promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery

et al. 2016

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Little is known about the reasons for occurrence of facial nerve palsy after removal of cerebellopontine angle tumors. Since the intra-arachnoidal portion of the facial nerve is considered to be so vulnerable that even the slightest tension or pinch may result in ruptured axons, we tested whether a graded stretch or controlled crush would affect the postoperative motor performance of the facial (vibrissal) muscle in rats. Thirty Wistar rats, divided into five groups (one with intact controls and four with facial nerve lesions), were used. Under inhalation anesthesia, the occipital squama was opened, the cerebellum gently retracted to the left, and the intra-arachnoidal segment of the right facial nerve exposed. A mechanical displacement of the brainstem with 1 or 3 mm toward the midline or an electromagnet-controlled crush of the facial nerve with a tweezers at a closure velocity of 50 and 100 mm/s was applied. On the next day, whisking motor performance was determined by video-based motion analysis. Even the larger (with 3 mm) mechanical displacement of the brainstem had no harmful effect: The amplitude of the vibrissal whisks was in the normal range of 50°-60°. On the other hand, even the light nerve crush (50 mm/s) injured the facial nerve and resulted in paralyzed vibrissal muscles (amplitude of 10°-15°). We conclude that, contrary to the generally acknowledged assumptions, it is the nerve crush but not the displacement-induced stretching of the intra-arachnoidal facial trunk that promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery in rats.

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Section: Stretching Of the Facial Nerve By Medial Displacement Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Nerve crush but not displacement-induced stretch of the intra-arachnoidal facial nerve promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery

et al. 2016

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“…The head fixation without metal head-posts is achieved by molding the acrylic resin which is available in general laboratory performing implantation surgery. Fixation procedure is convenient to investigators without using screws and plates assembly 2,7,8 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Basically, traditional head fixation requires surgical attachment of metal head-posts on top of the skull [6][7][8] . The attachments are then clamped to a stationary platform, resulting in immobilization of the head.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acrylic Resin Molding Based Head Fixation Technique in Rodents

Roh

Lee

Jang

et al. 2016

JoVE

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Head fixation is a technique of immobilizing animal's head by attaching a head-post on the skull for rigid clamping. Traditional head fixation requires surgical attachment of metallic frames on the skull. The attached frames are then clamped to a stationary platform resulting in immobilization of the head. However, metallic frames for head fixation have been technically difficult to design and implement in general laboratory environment. In this study, we provide a novel head fixation method. Using a custom-made head fixation bar, head mounter is constructed during implantation surgery. After the application of acrylic resin for affixing implants such as electrodes and cannula on the skull, additional resins applied on top of that to build a mold matching to the port of the fixation bar. The molded head mounter serves as a guide rails, investigators conveniently fixate the animal's head by inserting the head mounter into the port of the fixation bar. This method could be easily applicable if implantation surgery using dental acrylics is necessary and might be useful for laboratories that cannot easily fabricate CNC machined metal head-posts. Video LinkThe video component of this article can be found at

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“…For head fixation, rats were fitted with a lightweight titanium head implant that provided a set of four external attachment points for rigid head fixation. The head implant design and surgical implantation procedures are described in detail by Hadlock et al (2007). The body restraint device ( Fig.…”

Section: Subjects and Head Fixationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A system for studying facial nerve function in rats through simultaneous bilateral monitoring of eyelid and whisker movements

Heaton

Kowaleski

Bermejo

et al. 2008

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

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The occurrence of inappropriate co-contraction (synkinesis) of facially innervated muscles in humans is a common sequela of facial nerve injury and recovery. We have developed a system for studying facial nerve function and synkinesis in restrained rats using non-contact opto-electronic techniques that enable simultaneous bilateral monitoring of eyelid and whisker movements. Whisking is monitored in high spatio-temporal resolution using laser micrometers, and eyelid movements are detected using infrared diode and phototransistor pairs that respond to the increased reflection when the eyelids cover the cornea. To validate the system, 8 rats were tested with multiple 5-min sessions that included corneal air puffs to elicit blink and scented air flows to elicit robust whisking. Four rats then received unilateral facial nerve section and were tested at weeks 3-6. Whisking and eye blink behavior occurred both spontaneously and under stimulus control, with no detectable difference from published whisking data. Proximal facial nerve section caused an immediate ipsilateral loss of whisking and eye blink response, but some ocular closures emerged due to retractor bulbi muscle function. The independence observed between whisker and eyelid control indicates that this system may provide a powerful tool for identifying abnormal co-activation of facial zones resulting from aberrant axonal regeneration.

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A novel method of head fixation for the study of rodent facial function

Cited by 33 publications

References 22 publications

Nerve crush but not displacement-induced stretch of the intra-arachnoidal facial nerve promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery

Nerve crush but not displacement-induced stretch of the intra-arachnoidal facial nerve promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery

Acrylic Resin Molding Based Head Fixation Technique in Rodents

A system for studying facial nerve function in rats through simultaneous bilateral monitoring of eyelid and whisker movements

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