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Myasthenia Gravis
Updated: Aug 27, 2018
Author: Abbas A Jowkar, MBBS; Chief Editor: Nicholas Lorenzo, MD, CPE, MHCM, FAAPL
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OVERVIEW

Practice Essentials
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a relatively rare acquired, autoimmune disorder caused by an
antibody-mediated blockade of neuromuscular transmission resulting in skeletal muscle
weakness and rapid muscle fatigue. The autoimmune attack occurs when autoantibodies
form against the nicotinic acetylcholine postsynaptic receptors at the neuromuscular junction
of skeletal muscles (see the image below). [1, 2] Although the chief target of the autoimmune
attack in most cases is the skeletal muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), other
antigenic targets that are components of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) have also been
implicated.

Normal neuromuscular junction showing a presynaptic terminal with a motor nerve ending in an enlargement
:
 (bouton terminale): Synaptic cleft and postsynaptic membrane with multiple folds and embedded with several
acetylcholine receptors.

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