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Differential diagnosis of junctionopathies in small animals
Author(s) -
Jeffery Nick
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inpract.26.6.298
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , differential diagnosis , disease , medicine , etiology , function (biology) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , signs and symptoms , intensive care medicine , neuroscience , pathology , surgery , psychology , biology , immunology , evolutionary biology
THE term ‘junctionopathy’ is used to describe a disease process that disrupts the normal function of the neuromuscular junction (ie, between a motor axon and skeletal muscle). Junctionopathies are not common conditions in general practice, although veterinary surgeons may be familiar with myasthenia gravis. Unfortunately, the clinical signs associated with junctionopathies are rather varied because different disease processes affect different stages of the efficient translation of electrical‐to‐chemical‐to‐electrical signals inherent in junction function. Therefore, it is often necessary to determine whether the observed clinical signs or symptoms described by an owner could be consistent with a junctionopathy. This article discusses the differential diagnosis of myasthenia gravis and other diseases, and briefly reviews treatment options. For further information on the aetiology of junctionopathies, see Penderis (2003).