Proximal motor neuropathy in the BB-Wistar rat.

Proximal motor neuropathy is a well-recognized neuropathic complication in human diabetes mellitus, due to microvasculopathic changes. Spontaneously diabetic BB-Wistar rats maintained at a moderate severity of diabetes developed structural proximal motor neuropathy after long-standing diabetes. This was caused by multiple infarcts in the spinal ventral roots. Endoneurial vessels showed occlusions by platelet aggregates and unstriated fibrin, indicative of a hypercoagulability.