Polyneuropathies: Prevention

To prevent polyneuropathy, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Foods containing acrylamide (Group 2A carcinogen) – formed during frying, grilling, and baking; used to make polymers and dyes; acrylamide is metabolically activated to glycidamide, a genotoxic (“mutagenic”) metabolite
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see prevention with micronutrients.
  • Consumption of stimulants
    • Alcohol (= alcohol-associated polyneuropathy) → sensitive symptoms, such as numbness, stinging, or gait unsteadiness.
    • Tobacco (smoking); moderate association between smoking and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).
  • Drug use
  • Poor adjustment of glucose serum levels (blood glucose levels).

Medication → toxic polyneuropathy

Legend: A = axonal; D = demyelinating; G = mixed axonal-demyelinating.

Environmental exposures – intoxications (poisonings) → toxic polyneuropathy.

  • Arsenic
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Heavy metals such as lead, thallium, mercury
  • Carbon disulfide
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Triorthocresyl phosphate (TKP)
  • Bismuth (due tobismuth-containing dental material or in the case of long-term treatment with bismuth preparations).