View Single Post
Old 11-17-2016, 12:40 PM
Starburst Starburst is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 32
8 yr Member
Starburst Starburst is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 32
8 yr Member
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by glenntaj View Post
--is that you have a condition that affects your nervous system on some level, with both sensory and motor components.

Generally, in neurology, the convention has been that the more severely impacted system is listed first. So, by labeling it a "sensorimotor" disorder the implication is that your sensory systems are affected to a grater extent than your motor nerves, but both are involved.

It's really not a very explanatory term--it says nothing about cause or severity.
Thanks for the reply. I agree, it doesn't say much.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsD View Post
If you search this word, you will find many (a majority) of sites
that use it psychologically or as a psychiatric diagnosis.

It is a pretty old term, and I suspect it has an insurance code attached so that you and your doctor can get coverage for your visit. So may be used just for that purpose of convenience.

Motor neurons are basically myelinated (have an insulated axon) and as such are fast conducting nerves to muscles.

Sensory neurons are of 4 types, only one is heavily myelinated, and attached to tendons and providing proprioceptive information and fast conducting (telling the brain where you are in space). One sensory C fiber is totally unmyelinated and very slow conducting.
This graph shows the 4 types of sensory neurons outside the brain that provide information from the environment, and how they differ in myelination and speed of conductance:
Neuroscience For Kids - conduction velocity

Another graphic showing nerve cells and explanations:
Neuroscience For Kids - cells of the nervous system

As such the term you are asking about is just descriptive and not a diagnosis as such.
Thank you for your reply. I'm in the UK, so no need for codes. Both doctors (gastroenterologist and neurologist) used the words 'sensorimotor' but didn't put it at the top of their letters as part of a diagnosis. I didn't feel like either doctor was referring to it as psychiatric or psychological. They both are clear that I have abnormal autonomic function tests which confirm a physiological condition.
Starburst is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote