All that ripples is not "Motor neuron disease"

• Main Authors: Panagariya Ashok, Agarwal Vinay, Agarwal Neeraj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2007-01-01
• Series: Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology
• Subjects: Fasciculations; motor neuron disease; multi focal motor neuropathy
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofian.org/article.asp?issn=0972-2327;year=2007;volume=10;issue=2;spage=88;epage=91;aulast=Panagariya

Until early 80′s most patients presenting with lower motor neuron syndrome characterized by weakness, wasting, diminished reflexes, fasciculations, cramps and minimal sensory involvement would have been diagnosed as motor neuron disease- LMN variant. But similar clinical picture can be seen in various disorders right from degenerative illnesses like motor neuron disease to inflammatory ones like multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Some of them are potentially treatable conditions with immunomodulatory therapies and are associated with characteristic electrophysiological features and high serum antibody titers. Thus every patient presenting with pure motor LMN weakness and fasciculations should not be labeled as motor neuron disease and extensive electrophysiological search is warranted to diagnose these potentially treatable conditions, changing the grim prognosis to more favorable one.