Nervous system changes . . . and other stories

Abstract

Findings on examination of the peripheral nervous system in 4000 people without polyneuropathy are a reminder that what counts as normal changes with age. Vibration sensation was absent at the hallux and Achilles tendon reflexes were lost in a third of older people. In contrast, superficial pain sensation and patellar reflexes remained stable. Sural nerve action potential amplitude declined with age and, beyond the age of 80, becameunrecordable in a quarter of participants (Neurologydoi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207665).