Neuromuscular Disease

Neuromuscular diseases involve disorders of both the nerves and the muscles. These diseases can affect the generation of movement, including walking, coordination, facial movements, and swallowing. Neuromuscular diseases may be caused by a variety of factors including inherited genetic alterations, abnormal electrical functions, inflammation, connective tissue and vascular abnormalities, or drug and toxin exposure. Examples of common neuromuscular diseases include muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and myasthenia gravis. Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases that lead to the progressive weakening and wasting of muscle fibers. Symptoms vary depending on the type of muscular dystrophy, but typically involve progressive loss of muscle strength and respiratory difficulties. ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a condition that causes the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control movement. Symptoms typically begin with weakness in the arms and legs, leading to difficulties walking, speaking, and swallowing, and eventually progresses to full paralysis. Myasthenia gravis is a disorder that results from abnormal muscles due to a breakdown in the communication between nerve cells and muscles. Common symptoms of myasthenia gravis are drooping eyelids, difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing, and fatigue in certain muscles, especially after exercise. Treatments for neuromuscular diseases vary depending on the specific condition, but commonly include medications to improve muscle strength, activity levels, and quality of life; physical and occupational therapy; and, in some cases, surgery. There is no cure for neuromuscular disease, however, research continues to develop treatments and therapies to reduce symptoms and slow the progression of the diseases.