A scoping review of current and emerging techniques for evaluation of peripheral nerve health, degeneration, and regeneration: part 1, neurophysiology

Abstract

Peripheral neuroregeneration research and therapeutic options are expanding exponentially. With this expansion comes an increasing need to reliably evaluate and quantify nerve health. Valid and responsive measures that can serve as biomarkers of the nerve status are essential for both clinical and research purposes for diagnosis, longitudinal follow-up, and monitoring the impact of any intervention. Furthermore, such biomarkers can elucidate regeneration mechanisms and open new avenues for research. Without these measures, clinical decision-making falls short, and research becomes more costly, time-consuming, and sometimes infeasible. As a companion to Part 2, which is focused on non-invasive imaging, Part 1 of this two-part scoping review systematically identifies and critically examines many current and emerging neurophysiological techniques that have the potential to evaluate peripheral nerve health, particularly from the perspective of regenerative therapies and research.

A scoping review of current and emerging techniques for evaluation of peripheral nerve health, degeneration and regeneration: part 2, non-invasive imaging

“…The present scoping review serves as a complement to part 1, which specifically concentrates on non-neurophysiology [11]. Some modalities straddle neurophysiology and imaging but have only been covered by one of the reviews (such as EIT and US stimulation being covered within part 1).…”

“…This scoping review represents part 2 of a twopart review on current and emerging techniques in the evaluation of nerve health. In part 1, we performed a scoping review of the same subject but focused on neurophysiological techniques [11] (in submission). In part 2, the objective is firstly to cast a wide net to systematically identify and collate noninvasive imaging techniques that can, or have a reasonable potential to, evaluate peripheral nerve health, including approaches and techniques that may have not previously been applied to peripheral nerve.…”

Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring in Neurosurgery

“…One of the primary applications of EMG is the identification and preservation of peripheral nerves through its direct stimulation during peripheral nerve surgery [24][25][26]. Reduced muscle activity or abnormal EMG patterns serve as warning signs of potential nerve injury.…”

The Dynamics of Nerve Degeneration and Regeneration in a Healthy Milieu and in Diabetes

“…The understanding of the normal biology and the physiology of the neurons and the other key player cells under normal conditions and under stress are of crucial importance [168,169]. Animal studies should be combined with studies that also involve a variety of analyses in humans, e.g., diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and tractography [170] as well as neurophysiology [171]. A future direction of research in axonal degeneration and regeneration, focusing on regeneration in diabetic conditions, should continue to reveal the various steps and stages in the different processes.…”