The Neuromuscular Disorders Division is made up of faculty members who are involved in a strong clinical service and multiple research projects. Our faculty frequently contribute to scientific publications. Physicians see patients referred from the North Texas region who have a wide variety of neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis, muscular dystrophy, peripheral neuropathy, autonomic disorders, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Research

The Neuromuscular Program is involved in a number of research and therapy studies, including treatment and pathophysiological studies for ALS, peripheral neuropathies, autonomic failure, myotonic disorders, and others. Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D., conducts therapeutic trials for autonomic disorders including multiple system atrophy, autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, and orthostatic hypotension in patients with Parkinson disease. Jaya Trivedi, M.D. continues to recruit patients into a number of NIH-supported studies investigating electrophysiological and clinical aspects of non-dystrophic myotonia and periodic paralysis.

Education

The Neuromuscular Fellowship Program is an ACGME-certified program in Neuromuscular Medicine. Our training program was one of the first to receive this subspecialty certification. The one-year Neuromuscular Fellowship Program consists of clinical training in neuromuscular diseases and performance of electromyography (EMG) and related techniques.

Clinical Programs

The Neuromuscular clinical programs, located in the James W. Aston Ambulatory Care Center, are partially sponsored by the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation and recognized by the Neuropathy Association. In addition to six neuromuscular neurologists, patients may also be evaluated by physical therapy, speech pathology, respiratory therapy, a psychologist, a dietitian, and a social worker. The Neurology Department runs an infusion clinic and plasma exchange service for patients with immune-mediated disorders.

The UT Southwestern Neuromuscular Service also provides routine and advanced diagnostic services including nerve conduction studies, routine and single fiber electromyography, quantitative sensory testing (QST), evoked potentials and quantitative autonomic testing (ARS).

Pediatric neuromuscular patients are evaluated at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and Children's Medical Center Dallas. Patients with unusual metabolic myopathies are evaluated at the Neuromuscular Center in the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Presbyterian Hospital.