A Spatial Analysis of Epidermal Nerve Fibers

Lance A. Waller
Department of Biostatistics
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University

Tuesday, November 8th
3:30pm
Moos 2-620
Minneapolis Campus

Abstract:

Epidermal nerve fibers represent thin nerves extending from the dermis to the epidermis and transmit sensations of heat and pain to the central nervous system. Patients suffering from neuropathy (e.g., as a result of diabetes) exhibit quantifiable loss in the number of ENFs present in skin biopsies. Stained images of the biopsies suggest increased clustering in the spatial pattern of ENFs preceding the loss in number, and suggest the possibility of early diagnosis if such changes in pattern can be quantified. We review the basic neurology of ENFs, and methods for quantifying clustering in spatial point processes, then apply these ideas to data from the University of Minnesota involving repeated skin biopsies from samples of non-diseased patients and those suffering from small fiber sensory neuropathy, often a precursor to neuropathy. Methods include kernel-based estimation of the pair-correlation function, and Monte Carlo assessments of significance.
This is joint work with Traci Leong (Emory), William Kennedy (Minnesota), Gwen Wendelschafer-Crabb (Minnesota) and David Walk (Minnesota).

A social tea will be held at 3:00 P.M. in A434 Mayo. All are Welcome.
For more details contact 612-624-4655 or see http://www.biostat.umn.edu/seminar_academic.html