Study Hints at Causes of Peripheral Nerve Damage

Anyone who has experienced a hand or foot “falling asleep” has a sense of the numbness and tingling associated with peripheral nerve damage. The condition, which affects about 20 million Americans, can cause a number of other symptoms, including chronic pain, stinging, burning, itching and sensitivity to touch.

The underlying causes of such peripheral neuropathies are not understood completely, but researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that toxic buildup in Schwann cells can lead to the same type of nerve damage found in patients with neuropathies. This finding may lead to toxin-blocking drugs and new treatments for the condition.
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