TY - JOUR
T1 - Morphological features of nerves in skin biopsies
AU - Wendelschafer-Crabb, G.
AU - Kennedy, W. R.
AU - Walk, D.
PY - 2006/3/15
Y1 - 2006/3/15
N2 - Skin biopsy is an effective test for diagnosis of peripheral nerve disorders. The most commonly reported indication of abnormality in a skin biopsy is reduction of epidermal nerve density. Morphological changes of epidermal nerves and the underlying subepidermal nerve plexus provide added evidence for the presence of neuropathy. We determined the prevalence of epidermal axon swellings, dermal axon swellings, and a unique type of epidermal nerve that we call a crawler, in a group of normal subjects, diabetic subjects, and patients with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. Other morphologic features examined include thinning of the subepidermal nerve plexus, sprouts at nerve terminals, encapsulated endings, and immunoreactive basal cells.
AB - Skin biopsy is an effective test for diagnosis of peripheral nerve disorders. The most commonly reported indication of abnormality in a skin biopsy is reduction of epidermal nerve density. Morphological changes of epidermal nerves and the underlying subepidermal nerve plexus provide added evidence for the presence of neuropathy. We determined the prevalence of epidermal axon swellings, dermal axon swellings, and a unique type of epidermal nerve that we call a crawler, in a group of normal subjects, diabetic subjects, and patients with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. Other morphologic features examined include thinning of the subepidermal nerve plexus, sprouts at nerve terminals, encapsulated endings, and immunoreactive basal cells.
KW - Axonal swelling
KW - Diabetes
KW - Neuropathy
KW - Skin biopsy
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2005.11.010
DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2005.11.010
M3 - Article
C2 - 16448669
AN - SCOPUS:33644521323
SN - 0022-510X
VL - 242
SP - 15
EP - 21
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
IS - 1-2 SPEC. ISS.
ER -