Disorders of Voluntary Muscle

Abstract

This is a multiauthor book edited by three eminent specialists in the neuromuscular field, who have gathered together an impressive number of outstanding contributors. What did I like about this book? I think it is a well-balanced combination of fundamental aspects of muscle physiology, investigations of muscle disease, and descriptions of individual conditions, each contributing approximately one-third of the 755 pages. The first part, on muscle physiology and molecular structure, is exceptionally clear, and I would strongly recommend this to anybody, ranging from medical students to neurology trainees to people like me with a strong academic neuromuscular interest. I have certainly learned new aspects of a variety of relevant systems, ranging from the sarcotubular system to the extracellular matrix. It is not easy to find an up-to-date, comprehensive, and “digestible” review on this subject that is relevant to the clinical neurologist, but this book has achieved it. The second part, on methods of investigation of muscle disease and of the patient with muscle disease, puts a strong emphasis on the rational and clinically based approach to the diagnosis of neuromuscular conditions. This is also a very enjoyable part of the book, because of its clarity. It covers many of the fundamentals of “getting a diagnosis right,” and it is these fundamentals that are most frequently ignored, leading to misdiagnosis of individual muscle conditions. The third part, on individual muscle condition, is also enjoyable; it is obviously an area in rapid evolution, but all the important and key aspects of individual conditions are clearly and rationally presented, with helpful diagnostic hints. It is the optimal balance between these three parts that makes this book especially valuable for people with an interest in neuromuscular disorders.