PhytoScience - Article

Acute Inflamatory Polyneuropathy (Gillian-Barre Syndrome)


Acute Inflamatory Polyneuropathy or Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves convey sensory information (e.g., pain, temperature) from the body to the brain and motor (i.e., movement) signals from the brain to the body. GBS is characterized by weakness and numbness or tingling in the legs and arms, and possible loss of movement and feeling in the legs, arms, upper body, and face.

Guillain-Barre syndrome is not hereditary or contagious. What causes GBS is not known; however, in about half of all cases the onset of the syndrome follows a viral or bacterial infection, such as can occur with the following:

  • vaccination side effects
    • Menactra Meningococcal Vaccine Gillian Barre Syndrome
    • Flu Vaccine Gillian Barre Syndrome
    • DTP Vaccine Gillian Barre Syndrome
  • flu, common cold
  • gastrointestinal viral infection
  • infectious mononucleosis
  • viral hepatitis
  • campylobacteriosis (usually from eating undercooked poultry)
  • porphyria (rare disease of red blood cells

Nervous system functions

  • Receive sensory input from internal and external environments

  • Sensory Input: Receptors are parts of the nervous system that sense changes in the internal or external environments. Sensory input can be in many forms, including pressure, taste, sound, light, blood pH, or hormone levels, that are converted to a signal and sent to the brain or spinal cord.

  • Integrate the input

  • Respond to stimuli

  • In the sensory centers of the brain or in the spinal cord, the barrage of input is integrated and a response is generated. The response, a motor output, is a signal transmitted to organs than can convert the signal into some form of action, such as movement, changes in heart rate, release of hormones, etc.

  • The nervous system monitors and controls almost every organ system through a series of positive and negative feedback loops.

  • The Central Nervous System (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord.

  • The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) connects the CNS to other parts of the body, and is composed of nerves (bundles of neurons).

Peripheral nervous system

  • PNS contains only nerves and connects the brain and spinal cord (CNS) to the rest of the body.

  • axons and dendrites are surrounded by a white myelin sheath.

  • Cell bodies are in the (CNS) or ganglia

  • Ganglia are collections of nerve cell bodies.

  • Cranial nerves in the PNS take impulses to and from the brain. (CNS).

  • Spinal nerves take impulses to and away from the spinal cord.

  • There are two major subdivisions of the PNS motor pathways: the somatic and the autonomic.

Somatic nervous system

  • SNS includes all nerves controlling the muscular system and external sensory receptors.

  • External sense organs (including skin) are receptors. Muscle fibers and gland cells are effectors.

  • The reflex arc is an automatic, involuntary reaction to a stimulus. {Eg knee jerk reflex, blink etc}

  • Sensory input from the PNS is processed by the CNS and responses are sent by the PNS from the CNS to the organs of the body.

  • Motor neurons of the somatic system are distinct from those of the autonomic system. Inhibitory signals, cannot be sent through the motor neurons of the somatic system.

Autonomic nervous system

  • the part of PNS consisting of motor neurons that control internal organs.

  • ANS controls muscles in the heart, the smooth muscle in internal organs such as the intestine, bladder, and uterus.

  • Has two divisions:
    • sympathetic(fight or flight)
    • parasympathetic is involved in relaxation.
    • Both systems innervate the same organs and act in opposition to maintain homeostasis.