Neuromuscular Disorders

Research HighlightsVisit the Neuromuscular Disorders Patient page

The primary objective of the Neuromuscular Division of the Department of Neurology is simple: patient care. Serving patients at The Vanderbilt Clinic, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the faculty specializes in disorders of the nerve and muscle. Specifically, the Neuromuscular Division diagnoses, treats, and studies disorders including muscular dystrophies, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), peripheral neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), spinal muscular atrophies, genetic neuropathies (such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease), glycogen storage diseases, periodic paralysis, amyloid neuropathy and others. 

The Neuromuscular Division oversees specialty clinics in muscular dystrophy and ALS, funded by both the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and the ALS Association (ALSA). We are certified by ALSA as a Center of Excellence for ALS. We are also recognized by the CMT Association as a Center of Excellence for CMT neuropathy.

VUMC is also a Guillain-Barré Syndrome/CIDP Center of Excellence, and a pediatric Center of Excellence for spinal muscular atrophy. Faculty members in this division also collaborate closely with other departments such as genetics, cardiology, and primary care. Dr. Peltier is also a member of the Vanderbilt Amyloid Multidisciplinary program.

Research HighlightsResearch Highlights

The Neuromuscular Division boasts a long history of leading and participating in clinical studies related to the field. These studies focus on improvement and overall treatment of neuromuscular disorders as well as improving quality of life. Areas of research include Duchenne muscular dystrophy, ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, pediatric neuromuscular disorders, myasthenia gravis, CIDP, diabetic neuropathy, and amyloid neuropathy.

Dr. Peltier also has an ongoing collaboration with the Vanderbilt Autonomic Disorders Center investigating peripheral autonomic function in disorders such as postural tachycardia syndrome, autoimmune autonomic neuropathy, and pure autonomic failure. 

Highlights of current areas of research include: 

  • Small fiber neuropathy
  • Amyloidosis
  • Diabetic neuropathy
  • The interaction between the metabolic syndrome and the autonomic and peripheral nervous system
  • ALS
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • CIDP

For more details about current research, visit the Neuromuscular Disorders Research page.

Education & TrainingEducation & Training

The Department of Neurology accepts one full-time clinical neurophysiology fellow each year in this ACGME-approved program. Trainees may participate in examinations and testing of patients. Current areas of research opportunities for trainees include electrophysiology, peripheral neuropathy, and motor neuron disease. 

The Department of Neurology accepts two full-time clinical neurophysiology fellows each year in this ACGME-approved program. For more information and application details, visit the Neuromuscular Fellowship page.

Recent and Notable PublicationsRecent and Notable Publications

Desai U, Ilieva HS, Eyer JE, Peltier AC. Peripheral Nervous System Involvement of Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis in the United States: A Multi-Center Perspective. Muscle Nerve. 2025 Aug;72(2):286-293. doi: 10.1002/mus.28414. Epub 2025 May 20. PMID: 40395027.

Peltier AC. Autonomic Dysfunction from Diagnosis to Treatment. Prim Care. 2024 Jun;51(2):359-373. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2024.02.006. Epub 2024 Mar 20. PMID: 38692780.

Chompoopong P, Mauermann ML, Siddiqi H, Peltier A. Amyloid Neuropathy: From Pathophysiology to Treatment in Light-Chain Amyloidosis and Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Ann Neurol. 2024 Sep;96(3):423-440. doi: 10.1002/ana.26965. Epub 2024 Jun 24. PMID: 38923548.

Dy-Hollins ME, Hall DA, Cahill CM, Meyer AL, Peltier AC, Ostendorf T, Rheaume CE, Keran CM, Goldman MD; AAN Clinical Research Subcommittee. A Qualitative Study of Facilitators, Barriers, and Gender Disparities in Academic Neurology. Neurology. 2024 Jul 9;103(1):e209392. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000209392. Epub 2024 Jun 17. PMID: 38885474.

Pineda SS, Lee H, Ulloa-Navas MJ, Linville RM, Garcia FJ, Galani K, Engelberg-Cook E, Castanedes MC, Fitzwalter BE, Pregent LJ, Gardashli ME, DeTure M, Vera-Garcia DV, Hucke ATS, Oskarsson BE, Murray ME, Dickson DW, Heiman M, Belzil VV, Kellis M. Single-cell dissection of the human motor and prefrontal cortices in ALS and FTLD. Cell. 2024 Apr 11;187(8):1971-1989.