Next generation sequencing and its application in the diagnostics of neuromuscular diseases

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of diseases. Currently, 608 genes associated with different types of NMD have been identified. Most of these diseases are rare with a very low prevalence. Advance in the identification of genes associated with NMD can be attributed to technological development in an area of next generation sequencing (NGS) and the affordability of this methodical approach. NGS applications can be divided into analysis of (a) a selected set of genes, (b) an exom, and (c) a genome. The identification of pathogenic variants leads to a significant shift in the understanding of the etiopathogenesis of the disease, allows the prediction of the course of the disease, or its targeted treatment, which may be specific for individual types of NMD or even for particular pathogenic sequence variants.