The American Diabetes Association (ADA) describes its Professional Compendia as providing "primary care providers and health care professionals with the most up-to-date information and best practices for treating diabetes and related complications."
The 2022 edition of "Diagnosis & Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy" (DPN) was edited entirely by Rodica Pop-Busui, M.D., Ph.D., NeuroNetwork faculty, and ADA President-elect, Medicine & Science.
NeuroNetwork Director Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., wrote the section entitled "Pathophysiology of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy," which describes the dysfunction happening in the body during DPN.
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Feldman's section, including the figure below:
"PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DPN
Diabetes preferentially affects the peripheral nervous system (PNS), a likely reflection of the unique anatomy of the PNS (21). PNS axons are frequently =3 feet long and >20,000 times the length of their supporting cell bodies. PNS sensory neurons and their receptors lie outside the blood-brain barrier and are more vulnerable to injury secondary to diabetes than motor neurons, which lie within the barrier. Among the sensory neurons, there are small unmyelinated neurons known as C-fibers but also frequently called “small fibers.” These fibers carry nociceptive information, particularly related to heat and pain, and constitute the majority of sensory axons in the PNS..."
