Axonal regeneration from GABAergic neurons in the adult rat thalamus

Peripheral nerve grafts were inserted into the thalamus in 27 Sprague-Dawley rats. From 6 weeks to 15 months later, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was applied to the extracranial end of each graft and sections of the brains reacted for peroxidase histochemistry. Of the thalamic neurons that were retrogradely labelled with HRP, more than 80% were located in the reticular nucleus of the thalamus (RNT), a distinct group of nerve cells that contain glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-like immunoreactivity and are presumably GABAergic. By combining immunocytochemistry with HRP histochemistry, it was possible to confirm that the RNT neurons that had grown axons into the peripheral nerves grafts retained their GAD-like immunoreactivity. The apparent selectivity in their regenerative responses of RNT neurons to peripheral nerve grafts may relate to special properties of the neurons that did and did not grow into the grafts.