Main description:

The neuromuscular diseases comprise the disorders of peripheral nerve, neuromuscular junction, and muscle (Figure 1). This book addresses the immunologically mediated neuromuscular diseases, including Guillain-Barre syndrome and other autoimmune neuropathies, the Lambert-Eaton myas- thenic syndrome, myasthenia gravis, and the autoimmune diseases of muscle. Two chapters are devoted to the vasculitis and human immunodeficiency virus-mediated neuromuscular diseases. The experimental models of neuritis and myasthenia gravis are addressed in separate chapters. An introductory chapter provides a general background to autoimmunity. I wish to thank my contributing colleagues, all of whom are recognized experts in their respective fields, for their willingness to cooperate in this project. Furthermore, I am grateful to Dr Bill Hoffman of Stanford University who generously assisted in the editing of several chapters during his time spent with us on a sabbatical. I am also indebted to the editor and editorial staff of Kluwer Academic Publishers for their help and advice during preparation of this book.
Munich/ Martinsried Reinhard Hohlfeld March 1994 ix IMMUNOLOGY OF NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE Myelin; Guillain Barre syndrome NERVE TERMINAL ..

Contents:

Preface. Series Editor's Foreword. 1. Immunological self-tolerance and autoimmunity; H. Wekerle. 2. Neuropathies associated with anti-myelin antibodies; D. Burger, A.J. Steck. 3. Guillain--Barre syndrome and CIDP; H.P. Hartung, K. Reiners, K.V. Toyka, J.D. Pollard. 4. Peripheral neuropathy due to vasculitis: immunopathogenesis, clinical features and treatment; J.T. Kissel, J.R. Mendell. 5. Autoimmune-mediated models of peripheral nerve disease; C. Linington. 6. Immunology of the motor nerve terminal; A. Vincent, J. Newsom-Davis. 7. Myasthenia gravis; D.B. Drachman, R.W. Kuncl. 8. Immunological factors that influence disease severity in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis; K.A. Krolick, P.A. Thompson, T.E. Zoda, S. Mohan, R.J. Barohn, T.-M. Yeh. 9. Autoimmune diseases of muscle; R. Hohlfeld, A.G. Engel. 10. Retrovirus-related neuromuscular diseases; M.C. Dalakas, I. Illa, M. Monzon. Index.