Myasthenia Gravis and Myasthenic Disorders

This volume of the Contemporary Neurology Series presents an in-depth survey of presently recognized myasthenic disorders. The book begins with a description of the approach to diseases of the neuromuscular junction, surveying the anatomy and molecular architecture of the neuromuscular junction, the structure and kinetic properties of the acetylcholine receptor, and the electromyographic investigation of defects of neuromuscular transmission. The second section reviews the immunopathogenesis, experimental models, natural history, diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune myasthenia gravis. The third section focuses on the clinical electrophysiologic, and, where relevant, the molecular genetic features of the Lambert-Eaton syndrome, the presynaptic, synaptic, and postsynaptic varieties of the congenital myasthenic syndromes, the neuromyotonias, and the anti-ganglioside antibody associated diseases. Many disease entities here are novel. Throughout the book, the aim is to guide the reader to meet the challenge of diagnosis and therapy of a unique group of disorders. To this end, classical clinical observations, basic science data, and recent discoveries are presented in a balanced manner.