Latency Time, Maximal Amplitude and Electromyography in Diabetic Patients

The results are given of a study of three motor components in a selected material of young and elderly diabetics and a control group: 1. the latency time ankle‐extensor dig. brevis muscle by stimulation of the peroneal nerve; 2. electromyographic findings in the extensor dig. brevis muscle; and 3. the maximal amplitude of the extensor dig. brevis muscle and the anterior tibial muscle by stimulation of the peroneal nerve. Signs were found of a rapidly appearing motor neuropathy (most pronounced in the younger age group in which the beginning of the diabetes is well defined) together with a further degeneration with increasing duration of the diabetes. It was impossible to demonstrate any connection with the metabolic control. The development pattern demonstrated corresponds to that shown in a previous study in which the motor conduction velocity was used as parameter for the motor function. Some of the results obtained suggest that the nerves of the younger diabetics have a greater ability to regenerate than those of the older patients.