Ectopic impulse generation and autoexcitation in single myelinated afferent fibers in patients with peripheral neuropathy and positive sensory symptoms

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Abstract
Microneurographic studies were performed using cutaneous nerves of 8 patients with documented peripheral neuropathy who expressed positive sensory symptoms. Intraneural recordings in single myelinated fibers revealed: (i) ectopic generation of bursts of spontaneous action potentials; (ii) ectopic generation of ongoing repetitive discharges transiently interrupted by natural stimulation of the receptive field; and (iii) repetitive discharges triggered by a preceding action potential. These results provide direct evidence of a peripheral pathophysiological basis for spontaneous and stimulus‐induced paresthesias and dysesthesias in patients with peripheral neuropathy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21: 1661–1667, 1998