Hyperalgesia in spontaneous and experimental animal models of diabetic neuropathy.

Hyperactivity of nociceptive C-fibers has been recently described in diabetic BB/Wistar rats. This study assesses the association of hyperalgesia, using an analgesy-meter, with elevated glycosylated haemoglobin levels in three animal models of diabetic and nutritional neuropathies: Psammomys obesus (sand rat), streptozotocin-treated and galactose-fed rats. Pain threshold measurements (paw pressure test) and motor nerve conduction velocities were recorded in controls (n = 75), hyperinsulinaemic (n = 16), insulin-deficient (n = 46) und galactosaemic (n = 12) animals.

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.