Motor neurone disease (MND) has been in the spotlight recently courtesy of the film, ‘The Theory of Everything’. This summary produced by the MND Association with the RCGP aims to aid GPs in diagnosing this rare condition, and has been reproduced with kind permission of the MND Association.
Diagnosis of MND
Remember that MND can present at any age and presentation is usually asymmetrical.
Firstly, ask yourself: does your patient have one or more of the following symptoms?
Limb features
70% present with limb features
- Focal weakness (painless with preserved sensation)
- Distal weakness
- Falls/trips from foot drop
- Loss of dexterity, e.g. problems with zips and buttons
- Muscle wasting
- Hands and shoulders
- Typically asymmetrical
- Muscle twitching/fasciculation
- Cramps
- No sensory features