Author/Editor		Meh, Duška
Title		Neuropathies affecting small nerve fibres
Type		članek
Source		In: INABIS 2000. 6th internet world congress for biomedical science; 2000 Feb 14-25; La Mancha; Spain. La Mancha: Spanish society of health informatics,
Publication year		2000
Language		eng
Abstract		Peripheral neuropathy affects different types of nerve fibres. In some diseases, isolated affection of small or large nerve fibres is established, in others the involvement of nerve types is different. Ageing is related to the anatomical and physiological changes of the nervous system. Complex age changes are among the most important. The causes are numerous and not entirely explained. They affect different nerve fibres, the patterns of the nerves involved depend on the disease, and the neuropathy is either peripheral or central. Sensory neuropathies are frequently very devastating, and the positive sensory symptoms such as pain and dysaesthesias may constitute major symptoms. The pains in peripheral neuropathy may be either spontaneous or induced by normally nonpainful stimuli. Frequently they are resistent to therapy and remain a burden to patient. Psychotherapy is sometimes helpful, but the physicians too often take an attitude of helplessness and leave the patient with his troublesome disease. Diabetic polyneuropathy is mostly a mixture of sensory, motor and autonomic nerve fibre abnormalities, symmetrical distal sensory neuropathy being its most common clinical picture. It may be either nerve length-related and of the dying-back type, or else due to multifocal ischemic lesions. Impairment of large and small nerve fibre functions can be evaluated by electrophysiological and psychophysical tests. Diabetic neuropathy has been neurophysiologically found to be heterogeneous.
Descriptors		PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES PAIN DIABETES MELLITUS AGING PSYCHOTHERAPY PSYCHOPHYSICS