Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Multifocal Motor Neuropathy

Definition

Multifocal motor neuropathy is a rare condition in which the muscles in the body become progressively weaker over months to years.

Description

Multifocal motor neuropathy is often mistaken for the more catastrophic, inevitably fatal condition called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Unlike ALS, however, multifocal motor neuropathy can be treated; therefore, distinguishing between these two conditions is crucial.

Demographics

Multifocal motor neuropathy is a very rare condition, affecting only about 1 per 100,000 people in the population. Men are about three times as likely to be affected as women. Most patients are between the ages of thirty and fifty when symptoms are noted, with the average age of onset being 40 years.

Causes and symptoms

Multifocal motor neuropathy...