Sensorimotor polyneuropathy

Alternative names:

polyneuropathy - sensorimotor

Definition:

A condition involving decreased movement or sensation, associated with nerve damage.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Sensorimotor polyneuropathy is a form of peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves not including the brain or spinal cord). It is not a separate disorder, but a manifestation of many conditions involving damage to multiple peripheral nerves (polyneuropathy).

Sensorimotor polyneuropathy implies a systemic process that damages nerves. This damage may include loss of the myelin sheath, the covering of the nerve cell, which slows conduction through the nerve. It may also include damage to the nerve cell, especially the axon portion of the cell, which blocks conduction at the point of the damage.

Causes of damage to nerves include any condition that results in pressure on nerves, inflammation, decreased blood flow, connective tissue disorders, and similar conditions. There is a high degree of variability in the disorders that can cause sensorimotor polyneuropathy, from acute or chronic conditions to unknown causes. Some examples include alcoholic neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, chronic inflammatory neuropathy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and neuropathy secondary to drugs.