Glucose utilization during chromatolysis: a 14C deoxyglucose study.

After transection of the facial and hypoglossal nerves, rats were injected with 14C 2-deoxyglucose. Contact-autoradiographs of histological sections showed increased radioactivity in the motor nuclei of the operated side between 1 and 28 days post operation. This suggests an increase of glucose utilization and thus an enhanced energy supply to the facial and hypoglossal nuclei during the process of axonal reaction.