Muscular Dystrophy Essay

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Muscular dystrophy is a group of thirty or more hereditary genetic disorders that are characterized by muscle weakness and loss of skeletal muscle tissue. There are nine forms of muscular dystrophy: Duchenne, myotonic, Becker, limb-girdle, facioscapulohumeral, congenital, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss. All forms are hereditary and progressive. Some of the symptoms include progressive muscular wasting, poor balance and coordination, inability to walk, scoliosis, drooping eyelids, and respiratory difficulty. There is currently no cure for any form of muscular dystrophy. The symptoms of muscular dystrophy are treatable with medications, physical therapy, and surgery. The most common form of muscular dystrophy is Duchenne. Duchenne muscular dystrophy primarily affects boys. It is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein involved in maintaining the integrity of muscle. Symptoms usually begin to appear between three and five years of age. The disorder progresses rapidly, starting with muscle weakness in the legs and pelvis, and eventually spreading to the arms, necks, and other areas. By the age of 12, most boys cannot walk and require the use of a wheelchair. They can also develop scoliosis and tightness in their joints. Girls have about a fifty percent chance of inheriting and passing on the defective gene to their children. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy affects both males and females. It usually begins in the teenage and early adulthood years. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy causes weakness in the muscles of the face, arms, legs, and shoulders and chest. This form of muscular dystrophy progresses slowly. Symptoms may range from mild to severe. Myotonic muscular dystrophy affects males and females. This is the most common adult form and symptoms may begin any time from birth to childhood. It is characterized by muscle spasms,

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