Abstract

To test the hypothesis that human muscular dystrophies may be secondary to denervation, the responses in vitro of muscle in human malignant hyperpyrexia to electrical and pharmacological stimuli have been compared with those of the denervated mouse soleus muscle. The results suggest that the muscle abnormality in malignant hyperpyrexia is different from that produced by denervation. This must cast doubt on the concept that other human muscular dystrophies are secondary to denervation.