Assessment of the State of the Peripheral Nerves Using Acetylcholinesterase Activity

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the possibility of assessing the state of peripheral nerves in terms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. A modified method was used for detection of AChE activity on sections of peripheral nerves (priority file No. 2013157128, December 23, 2013) in rats, and these experiments showed that reaction intensity depended on the state of the fiber. Enzyme activity decreased in atrophic processes, while fiber growth was associated with a sharp increase in activity. Nerve state could be evaluated within 1–2 hours using AChE reaction intensity as a criterion; this may be useful during reconstructive surgery (intraoperatively).