title: Pitfalls in the diagnosis of motor neurone disease.
abstract: Motor neurone disease is characterized by progressive degeneration of upper and lower motor neurones with preservation of cognition. Recognition of classical motor neurone disease is not difficult, but during the early stages both false positive and false negative diagnoses are common. Careful examination, frequent follow-up and ancillary tests are necessary to avoid erroneous diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hardiman
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis; D018979:Myositis, Inclusion Body / Q000175:diagnosis; D009420:Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000175:diagnosis