THE CENTRIFUGAL COURSE OF WALLERIAN DEGENERATION

Abstract

The peroneal nerve of the cat is shown to have A axons of uniform diam. between the hip and the knee. Wallerian degeneration of that nerve follows a centrifugal course[long dash]i.e., central portions degenerate more rapidly than peripheral regions. This gradient of degeneration is uninfluenced by cuts additional to the central section at the hip. The gradient, therefore, is not detd. by the cuts, thus excluding the possibility of diffusion of some substance out of or into the axons as a factor. The gradient does not depend on the blood supply to the nerve. It reveals a longitudinal asymmetry intrinsic to otherwise uniform axons. It is confirmed that larger fibers degenerate more rapidly than smaller axons. Monophasic action potentials may be recorded from a functional to a degenerated region of an axon.