Does anyone know what Muscular Dystrophy is?

Answer 1

one of my mom and dad's friends had it and towards the end he was completley confined to bed but he was able to use an electric wheelchair to get around otherwise, He did have a team of 24/7 nursing staff though and he did have to be hooked up to a ventilator. Here's what Yahoo health says- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a hereditary degenerative disease of skeletal (voluntary) muscles, is considered the most prevalent form of childhood muscular dystrophy. The disorder typically is recognized from approximately age three to six years and has a relatively rapid, progressive disease course. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is initially characterized by muscle weakness and wasting (atrophy) within the pelvic area that may be followed by involvement of the shoulder muscles. With disease progression, muscle weakness and atrophy affect the trunk and forearms and gradually progress to involve most major muscles of the body.

In individuals with the disorder, initial findings may include an unusual, waddling manner of walking (gait); difficulty climbing stairs or rising from a sitting position; and repeated falling. With disease progression, additional abnormalities may develop, such as progressive curvature of the spine; wasting of thigh muscles and abnormal enlargement of the calves due to degenerative changes of muscle fibers (pseudohypertrophy); and abnormal fixation of certain joints (joint contractures) due to muscle weakness, prolonged immobility, and shortening of muscle fibers. By approximately age 10 to 12, most affected individuals require the use of a wheelchair.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is also typically characterized by additional abnormalities, including involvement of heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) and varying degrees of intellectual impairment. Affected individuals may develop an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections (e.g., pneumonia), respiratory failure, impaired ability of the heart to pump blood effectively (heart failure), or other serious findings, leading to potentially life-threatening complications by late adolescence or early adulthood.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is caused by changes (mutations) of a gene on the short arm (p) of chromosome X (Xp21.2). The gene regulates the production of a protein that is found in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Known as dystrophin, the protein is thought to play an important role in maintaining the structure of these muscle cells.

In most affected individuals, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait. Therefore, the disorder is usually fully expressed in males only. However, in rare instances, females who carry a copy of the mutated gene (heterozygous carriers) may develop certain, typically milder symptoms associated with the disorder. In addition, for some individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, there is no family history of the disease. In such cases, the disorder may be caused by new (sporadic) genetic mutations that occur for unknown reasons.

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Resources

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
1012 N. University Blvd
158 Linwood Plaza, Suite 220, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Middletown, OH 45042
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.parentprojectmd.org

Muscular Dystrophy Association
3300 E. Sunrise Dr
Tucson, AZ 85718
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.mdausa.org

Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada
900-2345 Yonge Street
Toronto
Ontario, Intl M4P 2E5
Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: (866)-MUSCLE-8
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.mdac.ca

Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
7-11 Prescott Place
London, SW4 6BS
United Kingdom
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
31 Center Drive
8A07
Bethesda, MD 20892-2540
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Society for Muscular Dystrophy Information International
P.O. Box 4790
Bridgewater
Nova Scotia, B4V 2X6
Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://users.auracom.com/smdi

New Horizons Un-Limited, Inc.
811 East Wisconsin Ave
Suite 937
Milwaukee, WI 53202
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.new-horizons.org

Let Them Hear Foundation
1900 University Ave #101
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.letthemhear.org

Answer 2

My wife and her three brothers suffer from myotonic muscular dystrophy, and according to them that's bad enough even though they all still have most of their mobility -- they can all walk and move fairly normally but have poor balance and trouble gripping things. I can only imagine how terrible it must be for someone with Duchenne's, and I would certainly understand if they wanted to do an assisted suicide. But euthanizing someone? Last I checked, euthanization meant taking someone's life without their consent...I would NEVER agree with that.

Answer 3

What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological condition affecting young adults. Around 85,000 people in the UK have MS.

MS is the result of damage to myelin - a protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres of the central nervous system. When myelin is damaged, this interferes with messages between the brain and other parts of the body.

For some people, MS is characterised by periods of relapse and remission while for others it has a progressive pattern. For everyone, it makes life unpredictable.

Answer 4

I have muscular dystrophy. It also passed to my son and daughter. So yes, I know what muscular dystrophy is!

Answer 5

Myopathies (Muscular dysrophies)-Diseases which primarily affect the muscles leading to profound weakness and wasting are called myopathies. They usually occur, or start, in childhood, and differ in type according to the particular muscles affected. For example, in facio-scapulo-humeral form the face, shoulder girdle and upper arms are mainly involved, with marked wasting (atrophy) and weakness of power in these parts.
Please see the webpages for more details on Muscular dystrophy.

Answer 6

Here's the info I found. I hope this helps.

What is Muscular Dystrophy?
The muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of more than 30 genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement. Some forms of MD are seen in infancy or childhood, while others may not appear until middle age or later. The disorders differ in terms of the distribution and extent of muscle weakness (some forms of MD also affect cardiac muscle), age of onset, rate of progression, and pattern of inheritance.
Duchenne MD is the most common form of MD and primarily affects boys. It is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein involved in maintaining the integrity of muscle. Onset is between 3 and 5 years and the disorder progresses rapidly. Most boys are unable to walk by age 12, and later need a respirator to breathe. Girls in these families have a 50 percent chance of inheriting and passing the defective gene to their children. Boys with Becker MD (very similar to but less severe than Duchenne MD) have faulty or not enough dystrophin.
Facioscapulohumeral MD usually begins in the teenage years. It causes progressive weakness in muscles of the face, arms, legs, and around the shoulders and chest. It progresses slowly and can vary in symptoms from mild to disabling.
Myotonic MD is the disorder's most common adult form and is typified by prolonged muscle spasms, cataracts, cardiac abnormalities, and endocrine disturbances. Individuals with myotonic MD have long, thin faces, drooping eyelids, and a swan-like neck.

Is there any treatment?
There is no specific treatment to stop or reverse any form of MD. Treatment may include physical therapy, respiratory therapy, speech therapy, orthopedic appliances used for support, and corrective orthopedic surgery. Drug therapy includes corticosteroids to slow muscle degeneration, anticonvulsants to control seizures and some muscle activity, immunosuppressants to delay some damage to dying muscle cells, and antibiotics to fight respiratory infections. Some individuals may benefit from occupational therapy and assistive technology. Some patients may need assisted ventilation to treat respiratory muscle weakness and a pacemaker for cardiac abnormalities.

What is the prognosis?
The prognosis for people with MD varies according to the type and progression of the disorder. Some cases may be mild and progress very slowly over a normal lifespan, while others produce severe muscle weakness, functional disability, and loss of the ability to walk. Some children with MD die in infancy while others live into adulthood with only moderate disability.

What research is being done?
The NINDS supports a broad program of research studies on MD. The goals of these studies are to understand MD and to develop techniques to diagnose, treat, prevent, and ultimately cure the disorder.
The NINDS is a member of the Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee (MDCC). For additional information, please visit:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/find_people/groups/mdcc/index.htm

Answer 7

Jerry Lewis does

Answer 8

A group of degenerative disorders of muscle resulting in atrophy and weakness.

Answer 9

it is an absolutely horrid thing. i saw a dear friend of mine die of this when he was 14. it slowly takes your life away as your muscles waste away.

Answer 10

No, it's a complete mystery to all our learned doctors and scientists.