title: Diagnostic histochemistry and clinical-pathological testings as molecular pathways to pathogenesis and treatment of the ageing neuromuscular system: a personal view.
abstract: Ageing of the neuromuscular system in elderhood ingravescently contributes to slowness, weakness, falling and death, often accompanied by numbness and pain. This article is to put in perspective examples from a half-century of personal and team neuromuscular histochemical-pathological and clinical-pathological research, including a number of lucky and instructive accomplishments identifying new treatments and new diseases. A major focus currently is on some important, still enigmatic, aspects of the ageing neuromuscular system. It is also includes some of the newest references of others on various closely-related aspects of this ageing system. The article may help guide others in their molecular-based endeavors to identify paths leading to discovering new treatments and new pathogenic aspects. These are certainly needed - our ageing and unsteady constituents are steadily increasing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Neuromuscular Diseases: Pathology and Molecular Pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: USC Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: kingengel1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: W King
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Ageing muscle atrophy; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Human muscle histochemistry; IVIG treatment; Multicramps; Treatable diabetic neuropathy