Muscular dystrophy

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The muscular dystrophies are a group of over 20 hereditary muscle disorders in which slow, progressive muscle wasting occurs, leading to increasing weakness and disability.

The four of the main types are:

Duchenneâ€™s dystrophy,
Myotonic dystrophy,
Limb-girdle dystrophy, and
Facio-scapulo-humeral dystrophy.

Duchenneâ€™s muscular dystrophy is the most common and most severe type. It affects about 1 live male infant in 3500. There is a milder form called Beckerâ€™s muscular dystrophy, which develops in young adults.

The symptoms of myotonic dystrophy may appear at any time from birth to old age and can affect both males and females.

There are many different types of Limb-girdle dystrophy, which usually starts between the ages of 10 and 20 and may progress to fairly severe disability within about 25 years. Limb-girdle dystrophy occurs in both males and females.

Facio-scapulo-humeral dystrophy can affect males and females. It first shows itself between the ages of 10 and 40 years and progresses very slowly.

The muscular dystrophies are the result of inherited gene mutations that bring about subtle but important changes in the muscle fibres, interfering with their ability to shorten (contract). Since contraction is the essential function of muscles, the dystrophies are inevitably disabling.

The muscular dystrophies are quite rare. They occur all over the world, but some types are more common in certain parts of the world than in others.