Acquired Immunologic Neuropathies

Abstract

The acquired immunologic neuropathies are a collection of neuropathic conditions that result from abnormal immune responses that target peripheral nerve myelin, Schwann cells, or axons. Although the clinical features and diagnostic data are sometimes overlapping, the specific disorders are heterogeneous in pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis. Importantly, there is no consensus as to which neuropathies are distinct conditions and which are better considered as variants or subtypes. The authors discuss the clinical, electrophysiological, histopathological, and treatment features that define the acquired immunomediated neuropathies, calling attention to differences that are observed between the specific neuropathies as well as the differences in the presumed variants within each syndrome.