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Central nervous system involvement in diabetic neuropathy.
Dinesh Selvarajah1, Iain D Wilkinson, Jennifer Davies
1Diabetes Research Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK.
Current Diabetes Reports
|June 14, 2011
Summary
Diabetic neuropathy increasingly affects the central nervous system, not just the peripheral nerves. Advanced neuroimaging reveals how this whole-nervous-system disease impacts brain function, prompting new research directions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Diabetology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Diabetic neuropathy is a common diabetes complication.
- Traditionally viewed as a peripheral nervous system disorder.
- Emerging evidence points to central nervous system (CNS) involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding diabetic neuropathy's CNS effects.
- To highlight the role of neuroimaging in this research.
- To discuss the implications for rethinking diabetic neuropathy.
Main Methods:
- Review of current scientific literature.
- Analysis of neuroimaging studies.
- Synthesis of evidence for CNS involvement.
Main Results:
- Diabetic neuropathy impacts both peripheral and central nervous systems.
- Neuroimaging techniques have improved visualization of CNS changes.
- This broadens the understanding of the condition's pathology.
Conclusions:
- Diabetic neuropathy should be considered a whole-nervous-system disease.
- New research directions are emerging based on CNS involvement.
- This necessitates a critical re-evaluation of the disorder.
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