[Effect of peripheral nerve lesions on histochemical enzyme reaction patterns in skeletal muscle fibers]

Peripheral neuropathies are a heterogeneous group of disorders. Myopathological changes exist in motoric and senso-motoric neuropathies. Histochemical and morphometric investigations of muscle biopsies indicate characteristic features: The most common changes in denervation are atrophic fibres and fibre groups. Patients with simple peripheral neuropathy show a more diffuse atrophy of muscle fibres with characteristical signs of denervation such as small angular fibres. Reinnervation takes place in the chronic neuropathies. Type grouping is a feature of reinnervation. The pictures of chronic neuropathies show fibre atrophy, small angular fibres, type grouping, and sometimes target fibres or whorled fibres. The muscle fibre histograms are of myopathic or of neurogenic type.