Neuropathy can be a highly debilitating complication for about 10–15% of diabetic
individuals. Unfortunately, the complex syndrome has proven difficult to explain and a
consensus as to its cause has not emerged. It has recently come to light that insulin and
insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have neurotrophic actions on sensory, sympathetic and
motor neurons. These are the main types of neurons afflicted in this disorder. Moreover, IGF
activity is reduced in both clinical and experimental diabetes. The premise that insulin, IGF-I …