Abstract
Aims/hypothesis. To examine the functional, metabolic and structural abnormalities in peripheral nerve in the spontaneously Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic BBZDR/Wor rat and compare these data with those in the Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic BB/Wor rat.¶Methods. Animals were examined at 6 and 14 months of diabetes. Nerve conduction velocity was measured longitudinally. Nerve polyols were analysed using gas liquid chromatography and Na/K+-ATPase activity was measured enzymatically. Light and electron microscopic techniques were used for nerve morphometry.¶Results. Diabetic BBZDR/Wor rats showed a slowly progressive nerve conduction defect that reached 17 % (p < 0.01) at 14 months. There was a decrease in Na+/K+-ATPase of 35 % (p < 0.05). Structurally, there were mild myelinated fibre atrophy (p < 0.05), mild or absent changes of the node of Ranvier, but significant (p < 0.001) segmental demyelination and Wallerian degeneration. These findings point to a more severe nerve conduction defect, severe myelinated fibre atrophy and profound nodal changes in Type I spontaneously diabetic BB/Wor rats maintained at the same hyperglycaemic concentrations.¶Conclusion/interpretation. We conclude that other factors, beside hyperglycaemia, are involved in the pathogenesis of the more severe Type I diabetic neuropathy which possibly involve insulin and C-peptide deficiencies. [Diabetologia (2000) 43: 786–793]
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 24 November 1999 and in revised form: 17 January 2000
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sima, A., Zhang, W., Xu, G. et al. A comparison of diabetic polyneuropathy in Type II diabetic BBZDR/Wor rats and in Type I diabetic BB/Wor rats. Diabetologia 43, 786–793 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250051376
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250051376