Diseases

Polyneuropathies

Diseases of multiple peripheral nerves simultaneously. Polyneuropathies usually are characterized by symmetrical, bilateral distal motor and sensory impairment with a graded increase in severity distally. The pathological processes affecting peripheral nerves include degeneration of the axon, myelin or both. The various forms of polyneuropathy are categorized by the type of nerve affected (e.g., sensory, motor, or autonomic), by the distribution of nerve injury (e.g., distal vs. proximal), by nerve component primarily affected (e.g., demyelinating vs. axonal), by etiology, or by pattern of inheritance.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Diseases of multiple peripheral nerves simultaneously. Polyneuropathies usually are characterized by symmetrical, bilateral distal motor and sensory impairment with a graded increase in severity distally. The pathological processes affecting peripheral nerves include degeneration of the axon, myelin or both. The various forms of polyneuropathy are categorized by the type of nerve affected (e.g., sensory, motor, or autonomic), by the distribution of nerve injury (e.g., distal vs. proximal), by nerve component primarily affected (e.g., demyelinating vs. axonal), by etiology, or by pattern of inheritance.

MeSH Record

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

21 entry terms
  • Polyneuropathy
  • Polyneuropathy, Acquired
  • Polyneuropathy, Critical Illness
  • Polyneuropathy, Familial
  • Polyneuropathy, Inherited
  • Polyneuropathy, Motor
  • Acquired Polyneuropathies
  • Acquired Polyneuropathy
  • Critical Illness Polyneuropathies
  • Critical Illness Polyneuropathy
  • Familial Polyneuropathies
  • Familial Polyneuropathy
  • Inherited Polyneuropathies
  • Inherited Polyneuropathy
  • Motor Polyneuropathies
  • Motor Polyneuropathy
  • Polyneuropathies, Acquired
  • Polyneuropathies, Critical Illness
  • Polyneuropathies, Familial
  • Polyneuropathies, Inherited
  • Polyneuropathies, Motor

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

History Note

2000(1966)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. C10w.668w.829w.800w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WL 520

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Polyneuropathies. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D011115. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D011115
  2. Polyneuropathies. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyneuropathy
  3. Polyneuropathies. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1502312