--or ganglioneuritis can present in a non-length dependent manner, meaning the longer nerves in the extremities may not necessarily be affected first; in fact, nerve tracts that lead to the face or the body (abdomen, back, etc.) may well be involved. The autoimmune attack seems directed more at the cell bodies in the ganglia than at structures of the of the fibers.

See:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/antibody/sneuron.html