What is Myasthenia Gravis?
From NORD: Disease Overview
"Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder primarily characterized by muscle weakness and muscle fatigue. Although the disorder usually becomes apparent during adulthood, symptom onset may occur at any age. The condition may be restricted to certain muscle groups, particularly those of the eyes (ocular myasthenia), or may become more generalized (generalized myasthenia gravis), involving multiple muscle groups.
"Most individuals with myasthenia gravis develop weakness and drooping of the eyelids (ptosis); weakness of eye muscles, resulting in double vision (diplopia); and excessive muscle fatigue following activity. Additional features commonly include weakness of facial muscles; impaired speech (dysarthria); difficulties chewing and swallowing (dysphagia); and weakness of the upper arms and legs (proximal limb weakness). In addition, in about 10 percent of patients, affected individuals may develop potentially life-threatening complications due to severe involvement of muscles used during breathing (myasthenic crisis).
"Myasthenia gravis results from an abnormal immune reaction in which the body’s natural immune defenses (i.e., antibodies) inappropriately attack and gradually injure certain receptors in muscles that receive nerve impulses (antibody-mediated autoimmune response)."
MG SYMPTOMS
What are the Symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis? (myasthenia-gravis.com)
All about DIPLOPIA (WebMD) AKA "double vision"
Managing Myasthenia Gravis Flares (myasthenia-gravis.com)
What Is Dysarthria? (WebMD) AKA slurred speech, raspy or soft or nasal voice, etc.
When to Go to the Emergency Room for Myasthenia Gravis (myasthenia-gravis.com)
Myasthenic Crisis: A Serious Complication of Myasthenia Gravis (WebMD)
What Causes Myasthenia Gravis? 5 Risk Factors To Know (MGteam)
An interesting video: Myasthenia Gravis: A History Lesson. Henry Kaminski, MD, Professor of Medicine at The George Washington University, provides a brief history lesson on our understanding of myasthenia gravis.
If you've been looking for a primer on what the heck is going on at the nerve-muscle junction in Myasthenia Gravis, then I highly recommend the following two YouTube videos, watched in order, to help you understand some of the complexities in MG. Some basic high school biology background (specifically neurology) might help.
Neuromuscular Junction (watch first)
Myasthenia Gravis (watch second)
Subtypes of Myasthenia Gravis
David P. Randall, DO, Director of Neuromuscular Neurology/ Advocate Medical Group, explains how myasthenia gravis is classified by antibodies, age, presence of a thymoma, and other features. This, in turn, defines most effective treatment choices. Watch Here
Overall treatment strategy of myasthenia gravis
MG and the Complement System
An overview of the Complement System (Cleveland Clinic)
Complement and myasthenia gravis (ScienceDirect)
Complement Inhibitor Therapy for Myasthenia Gravis (Frontiers in Immunology)
Complement Inhibitors in Myasthenia Gravis (video from Neurology Live)
Effect of complement and its regulation on myasthenia gravis pathogenesis (NIH)
Role of complement in myasthenia gravis (Frontiers in Neurology)
Myasthenia gravis: the role of complement at the neuromuscular junction (NYAS)
Complement activation profiles in anti-acetylcholine receptor positive myasthenia gravis (European Journal of Neurology)
These MG treatment guidelines are the result of a three-year effort to develop agreement among an international group of MG experts on the use of various treatments for people with MG. These guidelines were developed with leadership from our MGFA Medical and Scientific Advisory Board members and published in the November 3, 2020 issue of Neurology. This paper is a significant new resource for physicians caring for MG patients.
Additional Basic MG Information Sources
If you have a family member, friend, etc. who wants information on MG, we recommend that you review the choices below and choose any that you think are appropriate for their level of undersanding.
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS)
This disease has symptoms similar to Myasthenia Gravis, but from a different cause. This video explains LEMS. FIRDAPSE is currently (as of 2023) the only FDA-approved treatment for LEMS.
Acetylcholine (ACh) and It's Receptors (AChR)
What to know about acetylcholine (Medical News Today)
Acetylcholine Receptors (Britannica)
YOUR MUSCLES
MG is a disease of the muscles. Do you know your muscles? What types of muscles are there? How do they work? Learn all about your muscles in this information-filled webpage (1440) loaded with articles and videos. The more you know about your muscles, the better you can maintain them, a vital component of MG self-care.
How the Brain Causes Muscles to Contract
How Muscles Contract
Other Useful Information
Causes of Muscle Twitches and Spasms (WebMD)
Muscle Weakness in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis (American Family Physician)