Motoneuronal death without expression of NADPH-diaphorase activity after sciatic nerve cut in 5-day-old mice

In BALB/c mice, the number of sciatic motoneurons lost was statistically insignificant whether the nerve was cut at one (P1) or five days (P5) of age. Although the motoneurons showed intense NADPH-d staining after sciatic nerve cut at P1, they were NADPH-d negative when the nerve was cut at P5. The present study casts doubt on a neurodestructive role of NO in the sciatic motoneurons after axotomy at P1.