Diagnosis of motor neuropathy

Motor neuropathy is a clinical entity which leads to consideration of a wide spectrum of peripheral nerve disorders. Firstly, it may be distinguished from other causes of peripheral motor involvement such as muscle diseases and disorders of the neuromuscular junction. Secondly, it may be discussed in two different forms: acute and chronic. Acute chronic neuropathies are mainly observed in Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which electrophysiological studies allow us to recognize the classical demyelinating form and the axonal form. The other causes of acute motor neuropathy are mainly poliomyelitis and porphyrias. Chronic motor neuropathies are mainly observed in motor neuron diseases, mainly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but also Kennedy's disease and other lower motor neuron diseases which may be inherited or acquired. The other causes are multifocal motor neuropathy and the predominantly motor forms of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The characterization of these different types of chronic neuropathy is of major importance because of the therapeutic consequences which may lead to the proposal of specific treatments.