Pathological changes in the vagus nerve in diabetes and chronic alcoholism.

Morphometric studies have been performed on the vagus nerve removed at autopsy from control subjects and from patients with diabetes and chronic alcoholism. In all diabetic and chronic alcoholic subjects there was significant reduction in the density of myelinated fibres at the most distal level of the nerve. Degenerative changes in the nerve are consistent with the findings of abnormal vagal function in diabetics and chronic alcoholics.