noun

• 1A condition causing abnormal weakness of certain muscles.

  ‘Louise suffers from osteoporosis and myasthenia, a muscle weakness which means she needs to sleep for about four hours after every riding lesson.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Surgical removal of the thymus gland is performed in patients with a thymoma and can also help some other patients, especially those who develop myasthenia before the age of about 45.’
  • ‘Unlike myasthenia, however, it is associated with improved strength with repeated muscle activity.’
  • ‘He is receiving plasmapheresis as part of his treatment for myasthenia.’

  1. 1.1A rare chronic autoimmune disease marked by muscular weakness without atrophy, and caused by a defect in the action of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions.
     ‘It has been useful in treating autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis.’
     More example sentences

     • ‘The drug was first approved by the FDA as a treatment for myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular disease.’
     • ‘Congenital myasthenia gravis is rare and can be excluded by maternal and neonatal history.’
     • ‘Patients with myasthenia gravis typically present with weakness, developing with or aggravated by exertion.’
     • ‘Doctors said a recent checkup indicated he was suffering from an auto-immune disorder called myasthenia gravis, symptoms of which began appearing at the end of last month.’