NMJ

Medical abbreviation · Anatomy

NMJ
Stands forNeuromuscular junction
CategoriesMedical

NMJ stands for Neuromuscular junction, an anatomy abbreviation.

Synapse where a motor nerve ending meets a skeletal muscle fiber and releases acetylcholine to trigger contraction. Disorders of the NMJ include myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome and botulism, and the paralyzing drugs used in anesthesia act here.

Example: Fatigable ptosis and diplopia suggest an NMJ disorder; AChR antibodies sent.

Usage notes

In myasthenia gravis, antibodies attack acetylcholine receptors on the muscle side; in Lambert-Eaton syndrome, antibodies impair calcium channels on the nerve side and are often linked to small cell lung cancer. Botulinum toxin blocks acetylcholine release, the basis of therapeutic and cosmetic injections. Repetitive nerve stimulation and single-fiber EMG test the NMJ.

More anatomy abbreviations

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  • MCL – Medial collateral ligament
  • MCP – Metacarpophalangeal (joint)
  • MSK – Musculoskeletal
  • MTP – Metatarsophalangeal (joint)
  • PCA – Posterior cerebral artery
  • PCL – Posterior cruciate ligament
  • PIP – Proximal interphalangeal (joint)
  • PNS – Peripheral nervous system
  • PT – Posterior tibial (artery or pulse)
  • RC – Rotator cuff

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Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.