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GENETICS
Genetics and Neuromuscular Diseases

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Introduction

What is a Genetic Disorder?

What is Genetic Testing?

How are Genetic Disorders Inherited?

MDA's Purpose and Programs

MDA's Purpose and Programs

The Muscular Dystrophy Association fights neuromuscular diseases through an unparalleled worldwide research effort, a nationwide program of medical services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. Individual MDA research grants to investigators in the United States and abroad number some 400. The Association's advisory committees review projects that will increase knowledge in the neuromuscular field and may lead to treatments or cures for muscular dystrophy and related disorders. Through MDA's services program, comprehensive medical services are furnished to children and adults with neuromuscular diseases at 220 MDA hospital-affiliated clinics and through the Association's chapters. The following diseases are included in MDA's program:

Muscular Dystrophies

  • Myotonic dystrophy (Steinert's disease)
  • Duchenne (pseudohypertrophic) muscular dystrophy
  • Becker muscular dystrophy
  • Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
  • Facioscapulohumeral (Landouzy-Dejerine) muscular dystrophy
  • Congenital muscular dystrophy
  • Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
  • Distal muscular dystrophy
  • Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy

    Motor Neuron Diseases

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Infantile progressive spinal muscular atrophy
        (Type 1, Werdnig-Hoffman disease)
  • Intermediate spinal muscular atrophy
        (Type 2)
  • Juvenile spinal muscular atrophy
        (Type 3, Kugelberg-Welander disease)
  • Adult spinal muscular atrophy (Aran-Duchenne type)

    Inflammatory Myopathies

  • Polymyositis
  • Dermatomyositis

    Diseases of Neuromuscular Junction

  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Lambert-Eaton (myasthenic) syndrome

    Diseases of Peripheral Nerve

  • Peroneal muscular atrophy
        (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease)
  • Friedreich's ataxia
  • Dejerine-Sottas disease

    Metabolic Diseases of Muscle

  • Phosphorylase deficiency
        (McArdle's disease)
  • Acid maltase deficiency
        (Pompe's disease)
  • Phosphofructokinase deficiency
        (Tarui's disease)
  • Debrancher enzyme deficiency
        (Cori's or Forbes' disease)
  • Mitochondrial myopathy
  • Carnitine deficiency
  • Carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency
  • Phosphoglycerate kinase deficiency
  • Phosphoglycerate mutase deficiency
  • Lactate dehydrogenase deficiency
  • Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency

    Myopathies Due to Endocrine Abnormalities

  • Hyperthyroid myopathy
  • Hypothyroid myopathy

    Other Myopathies

  • Myotonia congenita
  • Paramyotonia congenita
  • Central core disease
  • Nemaline myopathy
  • Myotubular myopathy
  • Periodic paralysis

    MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION
    National Headquarters - 3300 E. Sunrise Drive - Tucson, AZ 85718
    Jerry Lewis, National Chairman
    www.mda.org - (800) 572-1717



  • Facts About Genetic Disorders

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