Structural Brain Alterations in Key Somatosensory and Nociceptive Regions in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Objective: Despite increasing evidence demonstrating structural and functional alterations within the central nervous system in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), the neuroanatomical correlates of painful and painless DPN have yet to be identified. Focusing on structural MRI, the aims of this study were to 1) define the brain morphological alterations in painful and painless DPN and 2) explore the relationships between brain morphology and clinical/neurophysiological assessments.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 277 participants with type 1 and 2 diabetes (no DPN [n = 57], painless DPN [n = 77], painful DPN [n = 77]) and 66 healthy volunteers (HVs) were enrolled.

SUDOSCAN: A Simple, Rapid, and Objective Method with Potential for Screening for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Clinical methods of detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) are not objective and reproducible. We therefore evaluated if SUDOSCAN, a new method developed to provide a quick, non-invasive and quantitative assessment of sudomotor function can reliably screen for DPN. 70 subjects (45 with type 1 diabetes and 25 healthy volunteers [HV]) underwent detailed assessments including clinical, neurophysiological and 5 standard cardiovascular reflex tests (CARTs).