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Understanding Myasthenia Gravis, a Rare Neuromuscular Disease

When graduate student Audrey Getman first experienced myasthenia gravis symptoms, she thought she was having a stroke. “It came on gradually – I started noticing some facial weakness and then I couldn’t use my mouth,” she says. “My eyes wouldn’t close all the way. They did an MRI – nope, no stroke or aneurysm – and then the ER doctor came back and told me, ‘I had to go look this up because I couldn’t remember the name, but I think it’s myasthenia gravis.’” Myasthenia gravis (MG), a rare neuromuscular autoimmune disease, is often difficult to diagnose. Patients have symptoms, such as slurred speech, that can mimic other disorders. Each patient’s MG presents a little differently.

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 Myasthenia Gravis: A Living History

Welcome to the first-ever interactive MG experience that allows you to bring history to life by adding your own diagnosis milestone. Explore the past and present of myasthenia gravis. Start with the most current developments and then work your way back to 1644 with the first recognized case of MG.

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History of Myasthenia Gravis Revisited

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Myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune condition affecting the neuromuscular junction. It causes muscle weakness that progressively worsens with activity and improves with rest. Myasthenia gravis affects men and women at different ages, typically affecting women under 40 and men over 60.

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Acquired myasthenia gravis (MG) is an uncommon disorder (200–400 cases per million). Its symptoms are caused by a characteristic muscle weakness that worsens after use of affected muscles. In about two-thirds of patients, the extrinsic ocular muscles (EOMs) present the initial symptoms. The symptoms usually progress to the other bulbar muscles and limb muscles, resulting in generalized MG (gMG). In about 10% of MG patients, symptoms remain limited to the EOM, and this condition is termed ocular MG (oMG).

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Resources

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MG United began as a conversation with people in the MG community. This is what we heard. And it’s why we’re here.

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WomenWithMG.org

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European Association of Myasthenia Gravis

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Myasthenia Gravis Society of Canada

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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. The name myasthenia gravis, which is Latin and Greek in origin, literally means "grave muscle weakness." With current therapies, however, most cases of myasthenia gravis are not as "grave" as the name implies. In fact, most individuals with myasthenia gravis have a normal life expectancy.

MayoClinic

Though myasthenia gravis can affect people of any age, it's more common in women younger than 40 and in men older than 60.

MedicineNet

The disease prognosis is highly variable; some patients have complete remission (about 50% with thymus surgery), others have relatively normal lives with continued treatment, and others have a poor prognosis as the disease advances.

MedlinePlus

Common symptoms are trouble with eye and eyelid movement, facial expression and swallowing. But it can also affect other muscles. The weakness gets worse with activity, and better with rest.

NHS

Myasthenia gravis is a rare long-term condition that causes certain muscles to become weak. It mainly affects muscles that are controlled voluntarily – often those controlling eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, swallowing and speaking. Sometimes, the muscles that control breathing, neck and limb movements are also affected.

Patient

Myasthenia gravis (MG) was first described by Thomas Willis in 1672. It is an acquired autoimmune disease with antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) at the neuromuscular junction or muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK).[1] This leads to muscular weakness with easy 'fatiguability', which is worse on exercise and improves with rest.

WomensHealth.gov

MG can affect any muscle, but the muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and swallowing are most often affected. In some people, the first symptom is weakness of the eye muscles. In others, having a hard time swallowing, talking, and breathing can be the first signs.