myasthenia
/ˌmʌɪəsˈθiːnɪə
/noun [mass noun]
1A condition causing abnormal weakness of certain muscles.Louise suffers from osteoporosis and myasthenia, a muscle weakness which means she needs to sleep for about four hours after every riding lesson....
- Surgical removal of the thymus gland is performed in patients with a thymoma and can also help some other patients, especially those who develop myasthenia before the age of about 45.
- Unlike myasthenia, however, it is associated with improved strength with repeated muscle activity.
1.1 (in full myasthenia gravis /ˈɡrɑːvɪs/ /ˈɡravɪs/) A rare chronic autoimmune disease marked by muscular weakness without atrophy, and caused by a defect in the action of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions.It has been useful in treating autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis....
- The drug was first approved by the FDA as a treatment for myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular disease.
- Congenital myasthenia gravis is rare and can be excluded by maternal and neonatal history.
Origin
Mid 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek mus 'muscle' + asthenia.