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The physiological basis for symptoms in Guillain‐Barré syndrome
Author(s) -
Sumner Austin J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410090706
Subject(s) - lesion , guillain barre syndrome , pathogenesis , medicine , disease , neuroscience , peripheral , pathology , peripheral nerve , anesthesia , psychology , anatomy , immunology
An experimental humorally induced focal demyelinative lesion of peripheral nerve is described. Associated with this lesion, conduction block appears rapidly—as early as 30 minutes in some axons—and progresses to completion within four hours. Small‐diameter myelinated axons block before those of larger diameter. Recovery of conduction occurs in 6 to 15 days. This model provides a basis for understanding the time course of onset and recovery in acute Guillain‐Barré syndrome and raises the possibility that a humoral mechanism might be important in the pathogenesis of the disease.