Category: genetic-diseases

If you have one of the many forms of muscular dystrophy, you may think that your lack of mobility or flexibility would make yoga a major challenge or even impossible. The level of disability caused by muscular dystrophy can vary widely: Some people may have very little disability, while others have limited mobility and need… Continue reading Yoga Poses for Muscular Dystrophy

In most cases, muscular dystrophy (MD) runs in families, caused by mutations in the genes that are passed on by one or both parents. Given that there are more than 30 types of the disease, the impact of muscular dystrophy on a woman’s pregnancy or her offspring varies from person to person. Although all types… Continue reading Muscular Dystrophy and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

Duchenne muscular dystrophy — a genetic disease in which people lack the protein dystrophin, leading to progressive loss of muscle function over time — has been considered a candidate for gene therapy ever since the gene that causes it was discovered, in the 1980s. Since then, both scientific knowledge of how genes work, and the… Continue reading What Is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Gene Therapy?

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease that attacks certain nerve cells, called motor neurons, in the spinal cord that control movement in the body. The result is a weakening of the muscles, including the arms and legs but also those that control breathing and swallowing. The disease occurs in about 1 in every… Continue reading Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Hearing that your child has Duchenne muscular dystrophy — a genetic disease, mostly seen in boys and men, that causes muscle function to deteriorate over time — can be devastating for parents. You may wonder if your child will be able to participate in normal activities, like school and play, and about what kind of… Continue reading What Is Life Like With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)?

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of complex diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. Although many people think of muscular dystrophy as a condition that primarily affects mobility, it can impact many different organs and systems in the body, including the heart, lungs, digestive system, and even the bones. The… Continue reading What Doctors and Specialists Treat Muscular Dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophy isn’t one disorder, but rather a group of more than 30 types of genetic conditions that cause progressive muscle weakness and loss. Although the signs and symptoms of muscular dystrophy vary from type to type, there are some common characteristics shared among them. Some forms of muscular dystrophy are diagnosed in infancy or… Continue reading What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy?

Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, is present at birth in people who have the condition. In people with Duchenne, the muscles lack a protein called dystrophin, which is critical for muscle function and repair. While all people with Duchenne share a lack of or defective dystrophin, the condition can… Continue reading What Causes Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)?

Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic disorders that cause progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass, primarily in the skeletal muscles, such as those in the arms and legs. But muscular dystrophy can also affect muscles in the face, in the heart, the muscles that control breathing, and, really, any muscle in the… Continue reading Complications of Muscular Dystrophy: How It Affects Your Body

Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that involve a progressive loss of muscle mass and consequent loss of strength. In general, the condition is caused by genetic variations that interfere with the production of proteins needed to build and maintain healthy muscles. A genetic variation is an alteration in the makeup of a gene… Continue reading What Are the Causes of Muscular Dystrophy?