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Updated: Jul 28, 2026
A Protocol for Comprehensive Assessment of Bulbar Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Published on: February 21, 2011
Quantitating progression in ALS
Mamede de Carvalho1, Manuel Scotto, Arminda Lopes
1Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Laboratory of Electromyography, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal. mamedemg@mail.telepac.pt
Abstract:
The authors prospectively studied the value of clinical and neurophysiologic measurements in assessing progression in ALS. Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) and the neurophysiologic index (NI) were significantly correlated with ADM strength (maximal voluntary isometric contraction force in the abductor digiti minimi muscle [MVIC-ADM]). MUNE and the NI were reliable, but the NI showed a lower variation. On assessing progression at 3, 6, and 12 months, MUNE, NI, and MVIC-ADM showed the highest rate of change. The NI is a potentially useful new neurophysiologic measurement.
