There are other old names and there are modern names. In the 19th Century when Charcot, Marie and Tooth were reporting their finding, other scientists were observing peripheral neuropathies and giving them different names. One such name is Roussy-Levy syndrome which is now thought to be of little or no value in categorising diseases. Each of these is divided into sub-types, e.g. HMSN type 1 to HMSN type 7. These words refer to functions controlled in part by the peripheral nerves.
Motor functions are the voluntary movements of our muscles.
Sensory functions are those whereby we can feel touch, heat, cold and pain. The term special sensory functions is applied to seeing and hearing. Autonomic functions are those which we can not ordinarily control, such as blood pressure, heart rate, sweating and pallor or flushing of the skin. In peripheral neuropathies, the most notable disturbances of autonomic function are those seen in the skin, which is likely to be cold and pale in the affected parts. Not all peripheral neuropathies fit into the main categories.