Muscular dystrophy
hideMuscular dystrophy (abbreviated MD) refers to a group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that weaken the muscles that move the human body. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue. Nine diseases including Duchenne, Becker, limb girdle, congenital, facioscapulohumeral, myotonic, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss are always classified as muscular dystrophy but there are more than 100 diseases in total with similarities to muscular dystrophy. Most types of MD are multi-system disorders with manifestations in body systems including the heart, gastrointestinal and nervous systems, endocrine glands, skin, eyes and other organs.
In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who grew progressively weaker, lost the ability to walk, and died at an early age became more prominent in medical journals. In the following decade, French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne gave a comprehensive account of 13 boys with the most common and severe form of the disease (which now carries his name — Duchenne muscular dystrophy). It soon became evident that the disease had more than one form, and that these diseases affected males of all ages.[citation needed]
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News tagged with muscular dystrophy
Treatment to improve degenerating muscle gains strength
18 hours ago |
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A study appearing in Science Translational Medicine puts scientists one step closer to clinical trials to test a gene delivery strategy to improve muscle mass and function in patients with certain degenerative muscle disord ...
Possible help in fight against muscle-wasting disease (w/ Video)
Nov 06, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A compound already used to treat pneumonia could become a new therapy for an inherited muscular wasting disease, according to researchers at the University of Oregon and the University of ...
New old drug fights colon cancer
Oct 13, 2009 |
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A new Tel Aviv University drug, based on an older generation antibiotic, may provide doctors with an effective and innovative method of treating colon cancer in both its incipient and full-blown stages -- and minimize the ...
Living longer and happier
Aug 19, 2009 |
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A new study from the University of Missouri may shed light on how to increase the level and quality of activity in the elderly. In the study, published in this week's edition of Public Library of Science - ONE, MU resear ...
New gene linked to muscular dystrophy
Aug 10, 2009 |
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Muscular dystrophy, a group of inherited diseases characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, can be caused by mutations in any one of a number of genes. Another gene can now be added to this list, as Yukiko Hayashi ...
Chemists Rationally Design Inhibitors Against an RNA Molecule that Causes Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy
Aug 07, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemists at the University at Buffalo have used rational drug design to synthesize small, cell-permeable molecules that are effective in vitro against two common types of myotonic muscular ...
Researchers Shed Light on Muscle Growth Regulator
Jul 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Research at the University of Cincinnati has led to the first published structure of myostatin, a protein that regulates muscle growth in animals, offering hope for major advances in the fight ...
Sticky protein helps reinforce fragile muscle membranes
Jul 23, 2009 |
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A new study by scientists at the University of Iowa shows why muscle membranes don't rupture when healthy people exercise.
Genetic source of muscular dystrophy neutralized
Jul 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have found a way to block the genetic flaw at the heart of a common form of muscular dystrophy. The results of the study, which were ...
Muscular dystrophy: New drug promises benefit without risk of infection
Jun 11, 2009 |
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A new drug being studied for the treatment of muscle degenerating diseases has shown promising results. According to a study published today in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Debio 025 is as effective as current drugs ...
Scientists discover new way to enhance stem cells to stimulate muscle regeneration
Jun 04, 2009 |
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Scientists at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa have discovered a powerful new way to stimulate muscle regeneration, paving the way for new treatments for debilitating conditions such ...
New therapy substitutes missing protein in those with muscular dystrophy
May 26, 2009 |
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Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have discovered a new therapy that shows potential to treat people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal disease and the most common form of muscular dystrophy ...
Muscular dystrophy diagnosis delayed almost 2.5 years in boys
May 11, 2009 |
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Boys show signs of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) for 2 ½ years before they obtain a diagnosis and disease-specific treatment, about the same length of delay children have endured for the past 20 years despite advances ...
Researchers identify gene associated with muscular dystrophy-related vision problems
Apr 21, 2009 |
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Skeletal muscle disease and vision deficits might seem unrelated, but a frog model of muscular dystrophy shows it is not such a leap.
Gene therapy for muscular dystrophy shows promise beyond safety
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Apr 15, 2009 |
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Researchers have cleared a safety hurdle in efforts to develop a gene therapy for a form of muscular dystrophy that disables patients by gradually weakening muscles near the hips and shoulders.
