Neurogenic muscle

The clinical and histopathological features of individual neurogenic muscle disorders are determined to a large extent by the balance of the opposing processes of denervation and reinnervation, at least as far as the muscle dysfunction is concerned. The involvement of upper motor neurons in some of these disorders is outside the scope of this chapter and will only be referred to in passing. 

MELAS, Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes CPEO, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia LHON, Leber hereditary optic neuropathy NARP, neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia, and retinitis pigmentosa NIDDM, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus TER, termination. 

Neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia, retinitis pigmentosa... 

Tetanus is a disease caused by the release of neurotoxins from the anaerobic, spore-forming rod Clostridium tetani. The clostridial protein, tetanus toxin, possesses a protease activity which selectively degrades the pre-synaptic vesicle protein synaptobrevin, resulting in a block of glycine and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release from presynaptic terminals. Consistent with the loss of neurogenic motor inhibition, symptoms of tetanus include muscular rigidity and hyperreflexia. The clinical course is characterized by increased muscle tone and spasms, which first affect the masseter muscle and the muscles of the throat, neck and shoulders. Death occurs by respiratory failure or heart failure. 

Diseases affecting skeletal muscle are not always primary diseases of muscle, and it is necessary first to determine whether a particular disorder is a primary disease of muscle, is neurogenic in origin, is an inflammatory disorder, or results from vascular insufficiency. A primary disease of muscle is one in which the skeletal muscle fibers are the primary target of the disease. Neurogenic disorders are those in which weakness, atrophy, or abnormal activity arises as a result of pathological processes in the peripheral or central nervous system. Inflammatory disorders may result in T-cell mediated muscle damage and are often associated with viral infections. Vascular insufficiency as a result of occlusion in any part of the muscle vasculature can cause severe disorders of muscle, especially in terms of pain, metabolic insufficiency, and weakness. 

Primary myopathies fall into a number of discrete groups the inherited diseases of muscle, the metabolic myopathies, the neurogenic disorders, and the acquired disorders of muscle. 

To cover these various disorders in an orderly and comprehensive manner, the following sections are devoted, respectively, to the muscular dystrophies the congenital myopathies the metabolic myopathies the myotonias, periodic paralyses, and malignant hyperpyrexia the neurogenic disorders the inflammatory muscle disorders the endocrine myopathies and the drug-induced and toxic myopathies. 

Insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone but it is unlikely that insulin deficiency causes skeletal muscle atrophy by direct action on muscle fibers (as opposed to neurogenic atrophy) except in chronic untreated cases. There is however a close parallel between the catabolic states induced by glucocorticoid excess and by insulin deficiency. Moreover, impaired insulin action is implicated in other endocrine myopathies as a contributory cause of muscle wasting. Both acromegaly and thyrotoxicosis are associated with insulin resistance due to a postreceptor defect, and secondary hyperparathyroidism due to hypophosphatemia also gives rise to insulin insensitivity. 

The expression of TRPVl in the bladder is, however, not restricted to afferent nerves urothelium, detrusor muscle and fibroblasts also express TRPVl in the human bladder [140]. The implication of these findings for intravesical vanilloid therapy is unclear [141], but the increase in TRPVl immunoreactivity in the urothelium in patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (that occurs in concert with increased TRPVl in bladder af-ferents) is a very intriguing finding [142]. In the male urogenital system, TRPVl is also present in testicles, prostate and scrotal skin [143], and it was postulated that TRPVl ligands may be beneficial in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia [144]. 

Skeletal muscle is neurogenic and requires stimulation from the somatic nervous system to initiate contraction. Because no electrical communication takes place between these cells, each muscle fiber is innervated by a branch of an alpha motor neuron. Cardiac muscle, however, is myogenic, or self-excitatory this muscle spontaneously depolarizes to threshold and generates action potentials without external stimulation. The region of the heart with the fastest rate of inherent depolarization initiates the heart beat and determines the heart rhythm. In normal hearts, this "pacemaker region is the sinoatrial node. 

Bethanechol Muscarinic agonist t negligible effect at nicotinic receptors Activates Mi through M3 receptors in all peripheral tissues causes increased secretion, smooth muscle contraction (except vascular smooth muscle relaxes), and changes in heart rate Postoperative and neurogenic ileus and urinary retention Oral and parenteral, duration 30 min does not enter central nervous system (CNS) Toxicity Excessive parasympathomimetic effects, especially bronchospasm in asthmatics Interactions Additive with other parasympathomimetics... 

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