Electrophysiological Studies in the Diagnosis ofAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Lee, Dong Kuck

Ann Clin Neurophysiol > 2004 ;6(1) > Article

Ann Clin Neurophysiol. 2004; 6(1): 1-13.

Dong Kuck Lee

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects motor neurons.The characteristic features of this devastating disorder are the simultaneous presence of upper and lower motor neuron(LMN) signs with progression from one region of the neuraxis to the next and eventual death, typically from respiratorycompromise.Electrophysiological studies are an indispensible part of the ALS evaluation, especially serving as an extension of theclinical examination, and most useful in identifying LMN dysfunction. Not only may electrodiagnostic studies revealcharacteristic changes in those regions clinically manifesting signs, but it also serves to disclose asymptomatic areas ofinvolvement.

Key words: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Electrophysiological studies