[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) › Peripheral nerve and skeletal muscle # Peripheral nerve and skeletal muscle Neuropathies, the neuromuscular junction, myopathies and dystrophies, and nerve sheath tumours. 20 pages ## Lesion - [**Dermatomyositis and antisynthetase syndrome** In dermatomyositis, immune injury to small vessels causes skin rash and weakness at the edges of…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/dermatomyositis-and-antisynthetase-syndrome/) - [**Diabetic neuropathy** Years of high blood sugar damage nerves, starting in the toes; numb feet get injured and…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/diabetic-neuropathy/) - [**Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy** Boys missing the protein dystrophin have muscle fibres that tear with every contraction…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/duchenne-and-becker-muscular-dystrophy/) - [**Guillain–Barré syndrome and CIDP** After an infection, antibodies and T cells attack nerve roots: weakness climbs over days…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/guillain-barre-syndrome-and-cidp/) - [**Infectious neuropathies: leprosy, diphtheria, zoster** Some microbes live in nerves (leprosy), some poison myelin (diphtheria), and some hide in nerve…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/infectious-neuropathies-leprosy-diphtheria-zoster/) - [**Inherited neuropathies: Charcot–Marie–Tooth and others** Gene defects in myelin or axons cause slowly worsening weakness and wasting of the feet and…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/inherited-neuropathies-charcot-marie-tooth-and-others/) - [**Lambert–Eaton syndrome and toxins of the junction** In Lambert-Eaton, antibodies block calcium channels in the nerve ending, often with lung cancer](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/lambert-eaton-syndrome-and-toxins-of-the-junction/) - [**Metabolic and mitochondrial myopathies** When muscle cannot burn glycogen, fat or oxygen properly, it cramps, breaks down with exercise…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/metabolic-and-mitochondrial-myopathies/) - [**Metabolic, nutritional and toxic neuropathies** Kidney failure, low thyroid, missing vitamins, alcohol, cancer drugs and heavy metals can all…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/metabolic-nutritional-and-toxic-neuropathies/) - [**Myasthenia gravis: the neuromuscular junction** Antibodies against acetylcholine receptors weaken the muscles of the eyes, face and limbs…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/myasthenia-gravis-the-neuromuscular-junction/) - [**Myotonic and other dystrophies; congenital myopathies** Many other gene defects weaken muscle: myotonic dystrophy with a grip that will not let go, FSHD…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/myotonic-and-other-dystrophies-congenital-myopathies/) - [**Necrotizing myopathy, inclusion body myositis and polymyositis** Some muscle autoimmunity kills fibres with little inflammation, sometimes after statins…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/necrotizing-myopathy-inclusion-body-myositis-and-polymyositis/) - [**Neurofibroma, NF1 and MPNST** Neurofibromas are soft nerve-sheath tumours, many of them in NF1](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/neurofibroma-nf1-and-mpnst/) - [**Schwannoma and neurofibromatosis type 2** Schwannomas are benign tumours of Schwann cells that push the nerve aside; two on the hearing…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/schwannoma-and-neurofibromatosis-type-2/) - [**Toxic and endocrine myopathies and rhabdomyolysis** Drugs, alcohol, hormone imbalance and severe illness can weaken or destroy muscle; the worst…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/toxic-and-endocrine-myopathies-and-rhabdomyolysis/) - [**Traumatic and entrapment neuropathies** Nerves can be cut, stretched or squeezed](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/traumatic-and-entrapment-neuropathies/) - [**Vasculitic, paraneoplastic and paraprotein neuropathies** Inflamed vessels starve nerves one by one; cancers trigger antibodies against sensory neurons…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/vasculitic-paraneoplastic-and-paraprotein-neuropathies/) ## Mechanism - [**Muscle channelopathies and periodic paralysis** Faulty ion channels in muscle cause attacks of paralysis tied to potassium, stiffness that eases…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/muscle-channelopathies-and-periodic-paralysis/) - [**Peripheral nerve injury: axonal vs demyelinating** A nerve can fail because its axon dies, because its myelin is stripped, or because its neuron…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/peripheral-nerve-injury-axonal-vs-demyelinating/) ## Topic - [**Reading a muscle biopsy: neurogenic vs myopathic** Muscle looks different when its nerve is lost (small angular fibres in groups) than when the…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/reading-a-muscle-biopsy-neurogenic-vs-myopathic/) ## A to Z - [A](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/a/) - [B](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/b/) - [C](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/c/) - [D](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/d/) - [E](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/e/) - [F](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/f/) - [G](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/g/) - [H](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/h/) - [I](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/i/) - [J](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/j/) - [K](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/k/) - [L](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/l/) - [M](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/m/) - [N](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/n/) - [O](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/o/) - [P](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/p/) - [R](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/r/) - [S](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/s/) - [T](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/t/) - [U](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/u/) - [V](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/v/) - [W](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/w/) [← General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) Educational content on the mechanisms of disease; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. 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