Myotonic dystrophy is a form of muscular dystrophy in which muscles grow weaker over time because they cannot relax normally after they contract. It is the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy and may be the most common overall among the group of disorders referred to as muscular dystrophy.
There are two types of myotonic dystrophy: type 1, which accounts for about 98 percent of all cases, and type 2, which accounts for the other 2 percent. The signs and symptoms of type 2 are often less severe than those of type 1.
Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 genetic diseases that cause muscle degeneration, progressive weakness and chronic or permanent shortening of tendons and muscles. Treatment focuses on symptom management and can include steroids, physical therapy, breathing support devices and surgery. The prognosis varies according to the type of MD and the speed of progression.
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Congenital muscular dystrophy is the name for a group of inherited diseases that affect the muscles beginning in very early childhood. In children with congenital muscular dystrophy, genes for muscle function are damaged, resulting in muscle weakness and other problems. Generally, congenital muscular dystrophy affects voluntary muscles in the limbs and torso, which can cause developmental delays and difficulty walking. It can also affect muscles in the heart and brain, leading to learning disabilities or other more severe mental problems. The symptoms and degree of progression for congenital muscular dystrophy vary greatly depending on each child's individual condition.
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All types of muscular dystrophy are caused by damaged or defective genes. The type of gene that is damaged or mutated determines the type of the muscular dystrophy. The gene mutations which cause muscular dystrophy negatively affect muscle development, stability, and/or function. This leads to muscle weakness and the progressive crippling that are usually symptoms of the diseases.
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Riverside Center for Neurosciences answeredMuscular dystrophy (MD) occurs worldwide, affecting all races. Its incidence varies, as some forms are more common than others. Its most common forms in children, Duchenne and Becker MDs, alone affect approximately 1 in every 3,500 to 5,000 boys, or between 400 and 600 live male births each year in the United States. Some types of MD are more prevalent in certain countries and regions of the world. Most MDs are familial, meaning there is some family history of the disease.
This answer is based on source information from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. -
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These diseases may produce symptoms that are very similar to those found in some forms of muscular dystrophy (MD) (such as inflammatory myopathy, progressive muscle weakness, mental impairment, and cardiomyopathy), but they are caused by different genetic defects. The sharing of symptoms among multiple neuromuscular diseases, and the prevalence of sporadic cases in families not previously affected by MD, often makes it difficult for MD patients to obtain a quick diagnosis. Studies of other related muscle diseases may, however, contribute to what we know about MD.
This answer is based on the source infromation from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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Reston Hospital Center answeredDuchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the most common types of muscular dystrophy, which is an inherited disease that affects the muscles. This disorder almost always affects boys, and symptoms appear very early in childhood. In people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, certain genes that control muscle function are defective, resulting in muscle weakness, joint problems, and loss of mobility. Duchenne muscular dystrophy most commonly affects voluntary muscles in the arms and legs, but it can also affect muscles in the heart and brain.
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Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles used during voluntary movement. The word dystrophy is derived from the Greek dys, which means difficult or faulty, and troph, which means nourish. These disorders vary in the age of onset, severity, and the pattern of affected muscles. All forms of MD grow worse as muscles progressively degenerate and weaken. The majority of patients eventually lose the ability to walk.
Some types of MD also affect the heart, the gastrointestinal system, endocrine glands, the spine, the eyes, the brain, and other organs. Respiratory and cardiac diseases are common, and some patients may develop a swallowing disorder. MD is not contagious and cannot be brought on by injury or activity.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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Muscles are made up of thousands of muscle fibers. Each fiber is actually a number of individual cells that have joined together during development and are encased by an outer membrane. Muscle fibers that make up individual muscles are bound together by connective tissue.
Muscles are activated when an impulse, or signal, is sent from the brain along the peripheral nerves (nerves that connect the central nervous system to sensory organs and muscles) to the neuromuscular junction (the space between the nerve fiber and the muscle it activates). There, a release of the chemical acetylcholine triggers a series of events that cause the muscles to contract.
The muscle fiber membrane contains a group of proteins-the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex-which prevents damage as muscle fibers contract and relax. When this protective membrane is damaged, muscle fibers begin to leak the protein creatine kinase (needed for the chemical reactions that produce energy for muscle contractions) and take on excess calcium, which causes further harm. Affected muscle fibers eventually die from this damage, leading to progressive muscle degeneration.
Although muscular dystrophy (MD) can affect several body tissues and organs, it most prominently affects the integrity of muscle fibers. The disease causes muscle degeneration, progressive weakness, fiber death, fiber branching and splitting, phagocytosis (in which muscle fiber material is broken down and destroyed by scavenger cells), and, in some cases, chronic or permanent shortening of tendons and muscles. Also, overall muscle strength and tendon reflexes are usually lessened or lost due to replacement of muscle by connective tissue and fat.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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The prognosis varies according to the type of muscular dystrophy (MD) and the speed of progression. Some types are mild and progress very slowly, allowing normal life expectancy, while others are more severe and result in functional disability and loss of ambulation. Life expectancy may depend on the degree of muscle weakness and any respiratory and/or cardiac complications.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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Reston Hospital Center answered
Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of nervous system disorders that inevitably cause muscle weakness and deterioration. As muscle loss advances, fasciculation increases in the affected regions. However, muscle twitching is a less indicative symptom of MD, which can also include mental slowness, trouble walking, drooling, and difficulty using certain muscles.