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There is no specific test for MND. Instead, the investigations described here are used to measure the extent of muscle involvement and to rule out other diseases.

Electromyography
The EMG examination is very useful for measuring the extent of damage to the motor nerve supply of a muscle. It can also be used to measure the speed at which nerve impulses travel along a nerve. This nerve conduction velocity is normal, or nearly normal, in people with MND, whereas in many peripheral neuropathies, it is slowed around the area of abnormality in the nerve.

MRI scanning
MRI scans are used to produce images of the brain and the spinal cord, especially in the region of the neck and the junction of the neck and the skull. Diseases affecting these regions are especially likely to produce symptoms and signs that mimic MND, and MRI is a sensitive test that can be used to exclude such diseases. However, the MRI scan cannot actually provide evidence to prove that someone has MND.

Blood tests
Blood tests are carried out to rule out other disorders that might possibly involve the nervous system, such as kidney or liver disease, or diseases of glands such as the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Inflammatory disorders, such as SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) or polymyositis can also largely be ruled out by blood tests, as can peripheral neuropathy.