Can peripheral sensory nerves regenerate?

Question

well..my sis had a surgery lately...by accident some sensory nerve supplying the area near thumb of the foot was cut by her surgeon...and that small area doesnt have any sensations now..will it heal ever?

Answer 1

Short answer is yes.

Your answer is best described by the Mad Scientist. I have a particular interest in this because I have MS which affects the CNS, which will not regenerate:

"When we discuss regeneration, we generally refer to the regrowth of neuron fiber tracts (neuronal axons) following a trauma severe enough to disrupt the electrical signal between the neuron cell bodies and the site of innervation (i.e. where the axons goes to). If such damage occurs in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the axons can regrow to the original target. To take an extreme example, if you were to cut off your hand then reattach it, you would eventually be able to move your hand and recover your sense of touch. That is because the nerves which go to muscles and the touch receptors in the skin are part of the PNS. However, if similar damage occurs in the central nervous system (CNS), the neurons do not regrow. For example, if you have a severe spinal cord injury, then you would be paralyzed for life. This is because the spinal cord and brain make up the CNS.

"The reason that the PNS regenerates and the CNS does not has to do with the local environment in which the neurons exist. The fiber tracts which carry signals from point A to B in the CNS or PNS is not simply made up of neurons and their axons. There are other cell types which have very important roles. Chief among these cells are the oligodendrocytes in the CNS and Schwann cells in the PNS. Both of these cells make a substance known as myelin. Myelin is a fatty material which wraps around the axon of neurons and acts like the insulation on an electrical wire. Without this myelin sheath, the nerves would not be able to function. This myelin sheath also contains many other types of molecules, which scientists are just beginning to investigate. The environment of the myelin sheath in the CNS and PNS are different, and many scientists believe that this difference explains the difference in regeneration. "

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can peripheral sensory nerves regenerate?
well..my sis had a surgery lately...by accident some sensory nerve supplying the area near thumb of the foot was cut by her surgeon...and that small area doesnt have any sensations now..will it heal ever?

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

I thought Neurobion was used to treat neuropathies. Why was it prescribed to you? Are you sure you don't have another condition causing the neuopathy in the first place. At any rate best to check with your doctor to see if they can explain and help calm your fears.