Myasthenia

Myasthenia gravis is a long-term neuromuscular disease that leads to varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness. The most commonly affected muscles are those of the eyes, face, and swallowing. It can result in double vision, drooping eyelids, trouble talking, and trouble walking. Onset can be sudden. Those affected often have a large thymus or develop a thymoma.

Signs and symptoms

Myasthenia gravis is often associated with weakness in the voluntary skeletal muscles of the body. The weakness most often starts in the muscles around the eyes, causing drooping of the eyelids (ptosis) and difficulty focusing and looking at different objects (diplopia).

Causes

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease which results from antibodies that block or destroy nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the junction between the nerve and muscle. This prevents nerve impulses from triggering muscle contractions.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of myasthenia gravis is made by identifying the characteristic clinical features along with evidence of defective neuromuscular transmission shown by electromyography, or by the presence of serum acetylcholine receptor antibodies.

Treatment

Treatment includes medication to improve neuromuscular transmission and to suppress the production of abnormal antibodies. The disease can be controlled with treatment, but complete remission without treatment is uncommon.

See also

• Neuromuscular disease
• Autoimmune disease
• Thymoma

References

Myasthenia Resources
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