The physiological basis for symptoms in Guillain-Barré syndrome.
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.
D000818:Animals; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D005699:Galactosylceramides; D007106:Immune Sera