[Neuromuscular diseases - pathophysiology, diagnostics and therapy]

Neuromuscular illnesses are characterized by a motor weakness or unusual muscular fatigue. Besides in some diseases sensory disturbances and pains are prominent. The causes of the disturbed interaction between nerve and muscle are varied and reach from illnesses of the motor anterior horn cells of the spinal cord about multifactorial lesions of peripheral nerves, a disturbance of the neuromuscular junction up to primary and secondary myopathies. In addition to the clinical examination electrophysiological procedures, specific laboratory tests from serum and CSF as well as the nerve or muscle biopsy allow a further etiology clarification. Few illnesses are separateable by specific genetic investigations.