Neuropathic pain / regenerating nerve fibers

Exercise and Diet Program Improves Damaged Nerves and Reduces Pain
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AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, DAMAGED NERVES, PAIN, EXCERCISE, DIET
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Description

Exercise and diet can reduce neuropathic pain and help regenerate nerve
fibers in patients with impaired glucose tolerance ("Prediabetes").

Newswise - Exercise and diet can reduce neuropathic pain and help
regenerate nerve fibers in patients with impaired glucose tolerance
("Prediabetes"), according to research that will be presented at the
American Academy of Neurology 58th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif.,
April 1 - 8, 2006.

Impaired glucose tolerance is found in 40 percent of patients with
idiopathic neuropathy (nerve damage with no identified secondary
cause). Impaired glucose tolerance neuropathy (IGTN) is characterized
by loss of nerve fibers in the skin, and is painful. It is thought that
IGTN represents the earliest stage of diabetic neuropathy. Prior
research indicates diabetic neuropathy does not improve with currently
available treatment. Patients with impaired glucose tolerance are at
risk for developing diabetes, a risk which can be reduced with a
program of diet and exercise counseling. To test whether this same
program could improve IGTN, a research team led by Dr. A. Gordon Smith
and Dr. Rob Singleton studied 32 patients over the course of one year
while they received individualized dietary and exercise counseling.

They found that the number of nerve fibers (measured by taking a small
skin biopsy) improved by approximately one third, although patients
with the worst loss of nerve fibers in their extremities did not
improve. Overall, patients had reduced pain and better functioning of
their sensory nerves.

"These findings indicate diet and exercise counseling for patients
with impaired glucose tolerance neuropathy may result in nerve
regeneration," said the study's lead author A. Gordon Smith, MD, of
the University of Utah. "This finding is significant because it
suggests the earliest stage of prediabetic nerve injury may be
reversible."

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 19,000
neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving
patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing
disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer disease,
epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, and stroke.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit
http://www.aan.com.

Editor's Note: Dr. Smith will present this research during a
scientific platform session at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5 in room
2 of the San Diego Convention Center.

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Tom

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date: 24 Apr 2006 05:55:06 -0700 author: unknown