Jul 7, 2022
Thymus Gland
Antibodies
Other Causes
Myasthenia Gravis is a disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of the skeletal muscles. It manifests as a generalized muscle weakness which is caused due to reduced transmission of electrical impulses across the neuromuscular junction.
Formation of autoantibodies against specific postsynaptic membrane proteins is what causes the muscle weakness.
The exact cause of the Myasthenia Gravis is unknown. However, some of the factors that play a role are as follows -
Thymus abnormality, thymic hyperplasia and thymoma can cause MG.
In MG the immune system produces antibodies that tend to block or destroy several muscles' receptor sites for acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter. With fewer receptor sites available, the nerve signals received by the muscles are also reduced, which causes weakness. These anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies are as follows-
Some children are born with neonatal myasthenia gravis because their mothers had the condition. In such cases if the treatment is imparted promptly then the children recover within two months after birth.
In the rare case, children are born with a hereditary form of myasthenia gravis called congenital myasthenic syndrome.
Pyridostigmine is the drug Of choice to manage MG. If Anti-Musk Antibody is present, then they have a poor response. This may lead to worsening of symptoms. So, treatment of choice is Thymectomy
In case of Ocular Myasthenia gravis, Thymectomy is not recommended. Pyridostigmine is generally the first-line drug. Steroids +++ /Azathioprine are started if the response is poor.
For generalized myasthenia gravis, Pyridostigmine is recommended. It has a substantially good response if the forced vital capacity is good.
Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) / Plasmapheresis is the recommended treatment of choice for the myasthenic crisis and also in cases that are resistant to immunosuppressive drugs.
And that is everything you need to know about Myasthenia Gravis, Amitabh Bachchan's rare condition. Stay tuned for more such updates. You can also download the PrepLadder app for premium medical content that aids seamless exam preparations.
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Kashika Walia is a Senior Content Writer at PrepLadder. She is devoted to give her readers easily digestible and high-value content that makes their journey towards their dream career incredibly easy.
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