Health Uncomplicated: Myasthenia Gravis Overview and Causes
What is Myasthenia Gravis?
Myasthenia Gravis is a rare chronic autoimmune, neuromuscular condition that causes weakness in skeletal muscles. Approximately 14-40 per 100,000 individuals in the United States have a diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis. (1)
Myasthenia Gravis affects the body’s skeletal muscles which are the muscles that connect to the bones. Skeletal muscles produce movement by contracting when they respond to stimuli. They sustain body posture and position, maintain body temperature, store nutrients, and stabilize joints. (2)
What causes Myasthenia Gravis?
Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s natural defense system (the immune system) cannot tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells. This causes the immune system to attack normal and healthy cells that are needed for basic bodily processes. There are more than 80 types of known autoimmune diseases that affect many parts of the body. (3)
What Are Neurotransmitters: All About Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitters play an essential role in the communication pathways of the body. They are the molecules used by the nervous system to transmit information between neurons, from neuron to gland, or from neuron to muscles. (4) When electrical signals or impulses travel down a motor nerve, the nerve endings release a neurotransmitter.
In the case of Myasthenia Gravis, this neurotransmitter is called acetylcholine. This binds to sites on a muscle called acetylcholine receptors. The binding of acetylcholine to the receptor activates the muscle and causes it to contract and move.
Because Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune condition, the body attacks itself. More specifically, antibodies block, alter, and destroy receptors for acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. This prevents the skeletal muscle from contracting and producing movement because it causes an error between the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles themselves.
What is the Thymus Gland?
The thymus gland controls immune function and it may be associated with Myasthenia Gravis. This gland grows until puberty, and then it gets smaller until it is naturally replaced by fat. It produces T-lymphocytes, more commonly known as T-cells, which are a specific type of white blood cell that protects the body from viruses and infections.
For adults with Myasthenia Gravis, the thymus gland remains large, and clusters of immune cells can grow. These may develop into thymomas which are tumors of the Thymus gland. They are most often harmless, but can become cancerous.
Some scientists believe that the thymus gland may give incorrect instructions to developing immune cells, ultimately leading the immune system to attack its own cells and tissues. This can produce acetylcholine receptor antibodies, and can set the state for attack on the transmission of acetylcholine from neurons to muscles. (5)
What tools are available for managing Myasthenia Gravis observations from symptom onset, to diagnosis, to treatment?
Tracking your observations on the Folia app. You can note anything that happens, add appointments, and create graphs and reports to bring to your provider. Our newest Flare Tracking feature can be helpful for noting when symptoms worsen. Link to download here, use code FOLIA4MG at registration!
You may find it helpful to track weakness of eye muscles in one or both eyes (ocular myasthenia), drooping of one or both eyelids (ptosis), blurred or double vision (diplopia), changes in facial expressions, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, impaired speech (dysarthria), and/or weakness in arms, hands, fingers, legs and neck
Folia Forms. These printable forms are helpful for sorting out thoughts before, during, and after appointments. Then, simply put this information into your app or add a picture of the page to your Folia profile so all info lives in the same place. You can access Forms here.
Additional comments or questions? The Folia Team is here to help!
