Emerging Toxic Neuropathies and Myopathies

Psychiatrists in practice encounter patients abusing alcohol and street drugs such as cocaine that can lead to toxic myopathies or neuropathies. Psychiatrists also encounter patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus who are treated with myotoxic medications (e.g., Hydroxychloroquine). Thus a well-rounded knowledge of toxic myopathies and neuropathies is extremely useful. The differential diagnosis of toxic myopathies and neuropathies is expanding rapidly and practical knowledge of these entities is becoming important.