Progress in clinical neurosciences: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related inherited peripheral neuropathies

The classification of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related hereditary mo tor and sensory neuropathies has evolved to incorporate clinical, electroph ysiological and burgeoning molecular genetic information that characterize the many disorders. For several inherited neuropathies, the gene product ab normality is known and for others, candidate genes have been identified. Ge netic testing can pinpoint a specific inherited neuropathy for many patient s. However, clinical and electrophysiological assessments continue to be es sential tools for diagnosis and management of this disease group. This arti cle reviews clinical, electrophysiological, pathological and molecular aspe cts of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies.