Current aspects of research on the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy contributes to the long-term complications of diabetes mellitus. Its pathogenesis is still unknown although a host of abnormalities in peripheral nerves in human diabetics and animal models has been discovered. This article emphasizes the current metabolic hypotheses: increased polyol pathway, decreased myoinositol nerve content; altered phospholipid metabolism, decreased Na+/K+ ATPase activity and non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins. Future perspectives relevant to animal and clinical research and new therapeutic aspects are also discussed.