Neuromuscular Diseases

When humans are in good health, the nervous system and musculature work together so smoothly there is little awareness of how efficiently this complicated biochemical machine functions. Neuromuscular diseases include a vast and bewildering array of related and unrelated disorders that have a certain similarity of symptoms in that both nerves and muscles are usually impaired. This term is usually applied to disorders of the motor unit and specifically excludes primary disorders of the central nervous system such as cerebral palsy.

Various types of diseases involve both the nerves and muscles. Some pathologic processes destroy nerves; others primarily attack muscles. Although the cause (or causes) of practically all of them still remain unknown, all are under intensive study.