Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, which are responsible for breathing and moving parts of the body, including the arms and legs. The weakness occurs because the immune system produces antibodies that attack and destroy the receptors for acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages from the nerve to the muscle. As a result, the muscle doesn't receive the necessary signals to contract and becomes weak.
In severe cases, the weakness can affect the muscles involved in breathing, leading to a myasthenic crisis, which is a medical emergency characterized by extreme muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. This can be a life-threatening situation and requires immediate medical attention.
Heather Finlay-Morreale is a pediatrician.
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