Neuromuscular Transmission in Thyroid Disease
Authors: FORBES H. NORRIS
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1966)

Article1 January 1966Neuromuscular Transmission in Thyroid DiseaseFORBES H. NORRIS JR., M.D.FORBES H. NORRIS JR., M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-64-1-81 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe concurrence of thyrotoxicosis and myasthenia gravis is well-known; careful studies have demonstrated that hyperthyroidism worsens myasthenia, probably through an effect of thyroid hormone rather than pituitary thyrotropin (1, 2). Moreover, myasthenia in the case of Drachman (2) was also worse when the patient became hypothyroidal. From these and other clinical observations (3), altered neuromuscular function would be predicted in myxedema.Myxedema and myasthenia, however, have rarely been associated. Two cases reported by Feinberg, Underdahl, and Eaton (4) and three by Sahay, Blendis, and Greene (5) seem to be the only documented examples although seven other cases have been cited...References1. ENGEL AG: Thyroid function and myasthenia gravis. Arch. Neurol. (Chicago) 4: 663, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. DRACHMAN DB: Myasthenia gravis and the thyroid gland. New Eng. J. Med. 266: 330, 1962. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. MONRO P: Letter to the Editor, Treatment of myasthenia gravis. Lancet 1: 108, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. FEINBERGUNDERDAHLEATON WDLOLM: Myasthenia gravis and myxedema. Proc. Mayo Clin. 32: 299, 1957. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. SAHAYBLENDISGREENE BMLMR: Relation between myasthenia gravis and thyroid disease. Brit. Med. J. 1: 762, 1965. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. STORM-MATHISEN A: Myasthenia Gravis. Aschehoug, Oslo, 1961, pp. 29, 125. Google Scholar7. SIMPSON JA: Myasthenia gravis as an autoimmune disease. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. (Proceedings of 1965 Symposium on Myasthenia Gravis). In press. Google Scholar8. HENSONSTERNTHOMPSON RAGMVC: Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. Brain 88: 11, 1965. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. ADAMSDENNY-BROWNPEARSON RDDCM: Diseases of Muscle, 2nd ed. Hoeber-Harper, Inc., New York, 1962, p. 602. Google Scholar10. NORRIS FH: The EMG. Grune & Stratton, New York and London, 1963, p. 64. Google Scholar11. NORRISPANNER FHB: Hypothyroid myopathy. Trans. Amer. Neurol. Ass. In press. Google Scholar12. LAMBERTROOKE EHED: Myasthenic state and lung cancer, in The Remote Effects of Cancer on the Nervous System, edited by LORD BRAIN, F. H. NORRIS. Grune & Stratton, New York and London, 1965, p. 67. Google Scholar13. TAPLEY DF: Mode and site of action of thyroxine. Proc. Mayo Clin. 39: 626, 1964. MedlineGoogle Scholar14. HESS B: Intermediate Metabolism: Diseases of the Thyroid Gland, in Thannhauser's Textbook of Metabolism and Metabolic Diseases, vol. I, edited by ZOLLNER, N., ESTREN, S. Grune & Stratton, New York and London, 1962, p. 154. Google Scholar15. DEL CASTILLO J: The transmission of excitation from nerve to muscle. Proc. Ass. Res. New. Ment. Dis. 38: 90, 1960. Google Scholar16. ZACKS SI: The Motor Endplate. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia and London, 1964, p. 197. Google Scholar17. CHAMBERSBARKERTHOMPSON WFSLJW: Effect of thyroid alteration on a cortical response evoked at midbrain level. Personal communication, 1965, of material to be published. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Rochester, New YorkFrom the Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, N. Y.This study was supported in part by grant NB-03734 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, National Institutes of Health, and by grant FR-44-03 from the Division of Research Facilities and Resources, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.Dr. Norris was aided by a special fellowship (BT-907) from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness.Requests for reprints should be addressed to F. H. Norris, Jr., M.D., Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, N. Y. 14620. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByNeuromuscular Junction Disorders due to Systemic DiseaseAcquired MyopathiesImmunology of diabetic and polyglandular neuropathyMiastenia grave com resposta eletrográfica de síndrome miastênica: relato de um casoEaton-lambert myasthenic syndrome: Long-term treatment of three patients with prednisoneAUTOIMMUNE AETIOLOGY FOR MYASTHENIC (EATON-LAMBERT) SYNDROMEDisorders of neuromuscular transmission other than myasthenia gravisRemission of the lambert-eaton syndrome and small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapyNeuromuscular transmission in thyrotoxicosisElectromyographic (EMG) Study in Thyrotoxic Periodic ParalysisCLINICAL, NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN EATON LAMBERT SYNDROMETHYROTOXIC MYOPATHYThe Eaton-Lambert syndrome and autoimmune disordersMultiple sclerosis associated with defects in neuromuscular transmissionThe neuromyopathy of hypothyroidism Some new observationsMyopathy of hypothyroidism.Status of the segmental innervation in thyrotoxic periodic paralysis 1 January 1966Volume 64, Issue 1Page: 81-86KeywordsBlindnessFellowshipsHyperthyroidismMyasthenia gravisNeurologyResearch facilitiesThyroidThyroid diseasesThyroid hormonesThyroid-stimulating hormone Issue Published: 1 January 1966 PDF DownloadLoading ...