Membrane property changes in most distal motor axons in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Introduction Distal nerve terminals, where the blood‐nerve barrier is anatomically deficient, are preferentially affected in immune‐mediated neuropathies. Excitability alterations near the motor nerve terminals may be more prominent than the nerve trunk in typical chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Methods In 20 patients with typical CIDP, motor nerve excitability testing was performed at the motor point and wrist of the ulnar nerve, and results were compared with those in 20 healthy persons. Results Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy patients showed greater threshold changes in hyperpolarizing threshold electrotonus at the motor point (P