Lack of in vitro spontaneous activity following axotomy of hamster sensory neurones.

Although peripheral axotomy of dorsal root ganglion cells in mice, rats and cats has been reported to generate spontaneous activity in sensory nerves, we did not find evidence for such activity in the hamster. In vitro, intracellular recording from L6-S1 dorsal root ganglion cells up to 6 weeks after axotomy did not reveal any evidence for either increased membrane excitability or spontaneous activity. Also, in the sciatic nerve-sectioned hamsters, there was a total absence of the self-mutilatory behaviour which has been reported in other rodents. These results support the hypothesis that species specific factors are important for the development of ongoing activity in sensory nerves following injury.