June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month for chronic autoimmune disease
| Date: June 10, 2008 | 
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Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Patients typically experience muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Certain muscles such as those that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, talking, and swallowing are often, but not always, involved in the disorder. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected."
The disease occurs when a patient's own immune system produces antibodies to a neurotransmitter that controls voluntary muscles. Jackson Laboratory Professor Derry Roopenian studies a wide array of autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis, Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.æMore information is available from the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Inc.
Contact(s): Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058
For information on automatic email delivery of news releases (journalists only), please send an email request for details to news@jax.org.
Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6051
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org
