Neuromuscular Disorders

What Conditions Are Included Under Neuromuscular Disorders?

Common neuromuscular diseases treated at UT Southwestern include: 

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Often called “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” ALS is one of the more common neuromuscular disorders. The disease involves a breakdown of motor neurons that work to control voluntary muscle movements. While there is no cure for ALS, UT Southwestern physicians provide the latest therapies and treatments that can help slow the disease’s progress and manage its symptoms. 

Our multidisciplinary ALS team includes specialists in neuromuscular neurology, neuropalliative care, and physical medicine/rehabilitation, as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutrition, respiratory therapy, social work, counseling, and equipment/orthotics specialists.

Autonomic disorders

This diverse group of diseases affects the automatic functions of the body. When the autonomic nervous system is not working properly, patients can develop a number of symptoms, such as lightheadedness and fainting, inability to sweat, constipation, bladder problems, and dry mouth. These disorders can be diagnosed with testing that is available only at specialized centers like UT Southwestern, where our physicians provide effective treatment.

Muscular dystrophies (MD)

MD is a group of more than 30 disorders that cause progressive weakness of muscles. While no treatment for reversing the effects of these disorders exists, UT Southwestern physicians can provide several treatments and therapies for improving a patient’s outlook.

Our nationally recognized MDA Clinic serves patients from North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana and is funded by a Care Center Grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Our patients benefit from a multispecialty care team that includes experts in neuromuscular neurology, neuropalliative care, and physical medicine/rehabilitation, as well as occupational therapy, pharmacy, speech therapy, nutrition, respiratory therapy, social work, and counseling. When needed, a patient’s care includes evaluation by heart and lung doctors as well as physical therapy and recommendations for assistive devices. 

Myasthenia gravis (MG)

MG is an autoimmune disease caused by antibodies that interrupt communication between nerve impulses and muscles, resulting in muscle weakness and fatigue. Treatments for myasthenia gravis include surgical options and medications to reduce antibody levels and improve nerve transmission.

Neurologists at UT Southwestern are recognized experts in the diagnosis and treatment of MG and are involved in clinical research studies to evaluate new therapies. Our patients have access to advanced diagnostics, including single-fiber electromyography (EMG) and diaphragm EMG.

Our multidisciplinary team includes neuromuscular specialists, as well as UT Southwestern experts from cardiothoracic surgery, physical medicine, pulmonology, and transfusion medicine. The team treats about 200 patients per year from throughout the region.

Peripheral neuropathies (PN)

These disorders cause damage to nerve fibers. Common symptoms of PN include numbness of the feet and fingers, weakness, and unsteadiness. Neurologists in the Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic are experts at identifying the cause of PN and recommending effective treatment.

In addition to these conditions, specialists in the clinic also treat inflammatory neuropathies (such as Guillain-Barré syndrome; chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, or CIDP; and others), inflammatory and metabolic myopathies, motor neuron diseases, stiff person syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, inflammatory myopathy, dysautonomia, and many other disorders.