Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Neuromuscular junction disease
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Neuromuscular junction disease is a medical condition where the normal conduction through the neuromuscular junction fails to function correctly.
Autoimmune
Autoimmune
In diseases such as myasthenia gravis, the EPP fails to effectively activate the muscle fiber due to an autoimmune reaction against acetylcholine receptors, resulting in muscle weakness and fatigue. [1]
Myasthenia gravis is caused most commonly by auto-antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor.
It has recently been realized that a second category of gravis is due to auto-antibodies against MuSK.
A different condition, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, is usually associated with presynaptic antibodies to the voltage-dependent calcium channel.
It is possible for these conditions to coexist.[2]
Toxins
Toxins
Various toxins, such as botulinum toxin prevent the release of acetylcholine, resulting in muscle paralysis.
References
References
- ↑ Hoch W, McConville J, Helms S, Newsom-Davis J, Melms A, Vincent A (2001). “Auto-antibodies to the receptor tyrosine kinase MuSK in patients with myasthenia gravis without acetylcholine receptor antibodies”. Nat Med. 7 (3): 365–8. doi:10.1038/85520. PMID 11231638.
- ↑ Sha SJ, Layzer RB (2007). “Myasthenia gravis and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome in the same patient”. Muscle Nerve. 36 (1): 115–7. doi:10.1002/mus.20735. PMID 17206662. Unknown parameter
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