[Neurophysiological investigations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disease which prognosis is poor. Early diagnosis permits to set up immediately adapted treatment and cares. Available diagnostic criteria are based on the detection of both the central and peripheral motor neuron injury in bulbar, cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions. Electromyographic study is the key tool to identify peripheral motor neuron involvement. Conduction velocities are systematically performed to rule out differential diagnosis. Needle examination records abnormal activities at rest and looks for neurogenic pattern during muscle contraction. Motor unit potentials morphology is modified primary to recruitment. Motor evoked potentials remain the test of choice to identify impairment of central motor neurons. For the monitoring of ALS patients, the MUNE technique (motor unit number estimation) seems the most interesting.
CHU de Saint-Étienne, hôpital Nord, service de neurologie, 42055 Saint-Étienne cedex 02, France; CHU de Saint-Étienne, centre référent maladies du motoneurone et SLA, 42055 Saint-Étienne cedex 02, France. Electronic address: j.philippe.camdessanche@chu-st-etienne.fr.
Jean-Philippe
JP
Camdessanché
Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, département de neurophysiologie clinique, 75013 Paris, France; Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, centre référent maladies du motoneurone et SLA, 75013 Paris, France.
Timothée
T
Lenglet
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D006801:Humans; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation