Acute effects of alcohol on the peripheral nerves in diabetic polyneuropathy: a clinical and neurophysiological study

Acute effects of alcohol on the peripheral nerves of seven patients with diabetic polyneuropathy and 13 healthy subjects were examined neurophysiologically. Ethanol (1 g/kg) caused a slight increase in skin temperature and motor conduction velocity in both groups. Motor distal latencies decreased in the healthy subjects, but increased among polyneuropathic patients after the consumption of alcohol. Diabetic nerves appear most susceptible to the acute effects of alcohol.