Motor neurone disease: clinical features, diagnosis, diagnostic pitfalls and prognostic markers

Sathasivam S
Correspondence: Dr Sivakumar Sathasivam, s_sathasivam@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a rapidly progressive adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder. In recent years, there has been an increased understanding regarding the epidemiology and clinical features of the different variants of MND. In addition, new diagnostic criteria have been proposed to increase the sensitivity of the diagnosis. This review highlights these new concepts and discusses the differential diagnoses of MND, highlighting the common pitfalls and misdiagnoses. It also discusses the prognostic markers for MND and a possible change in the natural history of the disease course.

Keywords: motor neurone disease
Singapore Med J 2010; 51(5): 367-373