The NFAR for normal liver was significantly higher than that for viral hepatitis and NASH in terms of both whole nerve fibers and sympathetic nerve fibers (PGP9.5+ viral: P < 0.0001, PGP9.5+ NASH: P < 0.0001, TH+ viral: P < 0.0001, TH+ NASH: P = 0.004), suggesting that chronic hepatitis–particularly viral hepatitis–leads to a reduction of intrahepatic nerve fibers. Here, UCHL1 is linked to animal viral hepatitis.