Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 inherited diseases that cause muscle weakness and muscle loss. Some forms of MD appear in infancy or childhood, while others may not appear until middle age or later. The different muscular dystrophies vary in who they affect and the symptoms. All forms of MD grow worse as the person's muscles get weaker. Most people with MD eventually lose the ability to walk.

There is no cure for muscular dystrophy. Treatments include physical and speech therapy, orthopedic devices, surgery and medications. Some people with muscular dystrophy have mild cases that worsen slowly. Others cases are disabling and severe.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Muscular Dystrophy on Wikipedia

The '''muscular dystrophies''' are a group of genetics and hereditary muscle diseases; characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cell (biology) and biological tissue. In some forms of muscular dystrophy, cardiac muscle and smooth muscles are affected. The muscular dystrophies are the most common hereditary diseases.

Cause

The dystrophies are caused by mutations of genes involved in muscle structure, with the gene for the dystrophin protein being the most prominent one. The dystrophin gene is located on the X chromosome (Thus making it a 'sex-linked' disorder). Accordingly, muscular dystrophies are much more common in males, as females have two copies of that chromosome, males have only one.

Types

The major types of muscular dystrophy include: * myotonic dystrophy * Duchenne muscular dystrophy * Becker's muscular dystrophy * Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy * Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy * Congenital muscular dystrophy * Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy * Distal muscular dystrophy * Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy * Severe childhood autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy * Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD) Duchenne MD is the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting children, and myotonic muscular dystrophy is the most common form affecting adults. Muscular dystrophy can affect people of all ages. Although some forms first become apparent in Infant or Child, others may not appear until middle age or later. The most frequent symptoms are muscle weakness (frequent falls, walking problems, eyelid drooping), skeletal and muscle deformities. Neurologic examination often reveals loss of muscle tissue (wasting), muscle contracture, pseudohypertrophy and weakness. Diagnosis is usually ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Expanded Sound - Comedy quartet from St. Louis, Mississouri that appeared on the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon in 1997 and 1998.

Altimate Medical - Standers and mobility aids for persons with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, and multiple sclerosis.

Jesse's Journey - The Foundation for Gene and Cell Therapy - A registered charitable organization raising funds for research in gene and cell based therapies focusing on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases.

Growth and Development Laboratory - Research on the isolation and characterization of muscle-derived stem cells and their use in cellular therapy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, injury repair and limb lengthening at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.

MDA Dermatomyositis page - Background and references, provided by the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) | MDA - Facts, symptoms, "ask the experts", research, clinical trials, articles and information about the help that the Muscular Dystrophy Association provides for this disease.

Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada - MDAC is a national voluntary agency committed to eliminating neuromuscular disorders and alleviating the associated distress.

Muscular Dystrophy Association of Australia - The Home of MDA and related information on this disease.

Muscular Dystrophy Association of South Australia - Explanation of support services for all persons with muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular disorders.

MDA - Muscular Dystrophy Association - the largest contributor to ALS research and support.

Related Pages on HealthTales.com:

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy, Duchenne and Becker types
Myotonic dystrophy
Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Vitelliform macular dystrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy
Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Muscular Dystrophy