Metabolic neuropathies are nerve disorders that occur with diseases that disrupt the chemical processes in the body.
Possible causes of metabolic neuropathies are:
- Toxins build up.
- Toxic peripheral neuropathies are an important form of acquired polyneuropathy produced by a variety of xenobiotics and different exposure scenarios.
- Neuropathies related to drugs, heavy metals, environmental and industrial agents.
- Alcoholic neuropathy
- Chronic alcohol consumption can have deleterious effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems.
- One of the most common adverse effects seen in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder is alcohol neuropathy.
- This commonly presents with pain, paresthesias, and ataxia in the distal lower extremities.
- Treatment should be focused on alcohol sobriety and replacement of key nutrients.
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Diabetes duration, poor glycemic control, smoking and hypertension are all independent predictors of the incidence of diabetic polyneuropathy.
- Diabetic neuropathy is one of the clinical syndromes characterized by pain and substantial morbidity primarily due to a lesion of the somatosensory nervous system.
- Although various metabolic pathways are impaired in diabetic neuropathy, enhanced cellular oxidative stress is proposed as a common initiator.
- Vitamin deficiency.
- The main causes of Vitamin B12 deficiency are related to inadequate intake of animal products, autoimmune gastritis, pancreatic insufficiency, terminal ileum disease, syndrome of intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
- Hypovitaminosis is accompanied by pathological lesions both in white and gray brain matter.
- Several types of neurological manifestations are described: subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord (funicular myelinosis), sensomotor polyneuropathy, optic nerve neuropathy, cognitive disorders.
- Deficiencies occur in the context of malnutrition, malabsorption, increased nutrient loss (such as with dialysis), autoimmune conditions such as pernicious anemia, and with certain drugs that inhibit nutrient absorption.
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