Axonal elongation into peripheral nerve grafts between thalamus and somatosensory cortex of the rat. An experimental...

After destruction of the thalamocortical projections of one side in 12 adult rats, the ipsilateral thalamic ventrobasal nucleus was connected with the contralateral somatosensory cortex through an autologous peripheral nerve graft. Three months after the implanting procedure, horseradish peroxidase was applied to the transected nerve. Retrograde labeling of cells occurred in all examined animals. Evidence of newly formed thalamocortical connections provides the experimental basis to a model suitable for functional evaluations.