a. (sb.) Biol. [ad. Gr. τροφικός, f. τροφή nourishment: see -IC. Cf. F. trophique.] Of or pertaining to nutrition; spec. of certain nerves and nerve-centers, Concerned with or regulating the nutrition of the tissues.
1873. A. Flint, Physiol. Man, Nervous Syst., ii. 80. Centres attached to the sensory system of nerves, which have, as far as we know, a purely trophic influence over the nerves.
1875. H. C. Wood, Therap. (1879), 559. Nerves which preside over nutrition,—the so-called trophic nerves.
1894. Lancet, 3 Nov., 1030. The large amount of wasting of the muscles … might suggest the possibility of a trophic lesion.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 124. Another affection of the lower limbs, possibly trophic,… is rupture of the tendo Achillis.
B. sb. Something that promotes nutrition.
1893. E. S. D’Odiardi, Med. Electricity, 54. The second class is composed of trophics, or nutrients, i.e., promoters of nutrition.
So Trophical a. (rare) = trophic adj.; hence Trophically adv., in relation to nutrition.
1857. Dunglison, Med. Lex., Trophical Nerves, the organic nerves, or nerves of the sympathetic system.
1900. Lancet, 23 June, 1779/2. This … implies continuity of the protoplasm of one neurone with another, but trophically and genetically the two are independent.
