Neuromuscular Transmission in the Newborn Infant

Abstract

Neuromuscular transmission is studied electromyographically in five newborn infants, and the influence of decamethonium iodide, neostigmine sulphate and edrophonium chloride is noted. Neuromuscular transmission in the first few weeks of life differs from that seen in adult patients in that the characteristics of the block obtained after decamethonium strongly resemble many of the features seen in patients with myasthenia gravis. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that myasthenia gravis could be interpreted as a congenital defect which persists into adult life. At some stage in the patient''s career-for reasons unknown-the desensitization of the motor end-plate to acetylcholine becomes increased and the patient exhibits the signs of clinical weakness.