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Updated: May 10, 2026

Establishing a Mouse Model of a Pure Small Fiber Neuropathy with the Ultrapotent Agonist of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1
Published on: February 13, 2018
Cramps and small-fiber neuropathy
Glenn Lopate1, Elizabeth Streif, Matthew Harms
1Department of Neurology, Division of Neuromuscular Disease, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. lopateg@neuro.wustl.edu
Sixty percent of patients experiencing muscle cramps without nerve complaints were found to have small-fiber neuropathy (SFN). This suggests SFN may cause cramps through inflammation from damaged small nerves exciting intramuscular nerves.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Nerve Disorders
Background:
- Muscle cramps are frequently reported and linked to motor nerve terminal activity.
- Polyneuropathy is a known cause, but small-fiber neuropathy (SFN) remains understudied in this context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of SFN in patients presenting with muscle cramps but lacking typical neuropathic symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Skin biopsies were conducted on consecutive patients experiencing cramps without neuropathic complaints.
- Intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) was assessed in twelve patients.
Main Results:
- Reduced IENFD, indicative of SFN, was observed in seven patients (58%).
- Two patients showed non-length-dependent SFN.
- Elevated creatine kinase levels were noted in eight patients, with four also having reduced IENFD.
Conclusions:
- A significant portion of patients with muscle cramps and no neuropathic complaints exhibit SFN.
- The findings suggest that inflammation from damaged small nerves may trigger cramps by exciting intramuscular nerves.
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