Sensorimotor polyneuropathy

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Central nervous system

Sensorimotor polyneuropathy causes a decreased ability to move or feel (sensation) due to nerve damage.

Polyneuropathy - sensorimotor

Neuropathy means a disease of, or damage to nerves. When it occurs outside of the brain or spinal cord, it is called a peripheral neuropathy. Mononeuropathy means one nerve is involved. Polyneuropathy means that many nerves are involved.

Neuropathy can affect nerves that provide feeling (sensory neuropathy) or cause movement (motor neuropathy). It can also affect both, in which case it is called a sensorimotor neuropathy.

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Sensorimotor polyneuropathy is a body-wide (systemic) process that damages nerve cells, nerve fibers (axons), and nerve coverings (myelin sheath). Damage to the covering of the nerve cell causes nerve signals to slow down. Damage to the nerve fiber or entire nerve cell can make the nerve stop working.

Nerve damage can be caused by:

• Conditions that put pressure on nerves
• Decreased blood flow to the nerve
• Diseases that destroy the glue (connective tissue) that holds cells and tissues together
• Swelling (inflammation) of the nerves

Some diseases lead to polyneuropathy that is mainly sensory or mainly motor. Possible causes of sensorimotor polyneuropathy include:

• Alcoholic neuropathy
• Cancer (called a paraneoplastic neuropathy)
• Chronic inflammatory neuropathy
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Drug-related neuropathy
• Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Hereditary neuropathy
• Vitamin deficiency (vitamins B12, B1, and E)

Review Date: 02/06/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurolosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).