| Definition
- One of nine types of muscular dystrophy,
a group of genetic, degenerative diseases
primarily affecting voluntary muscles.
Cause - A repeated section
of DNA on either chromosome 19 or chromosome
3.
Onset - Congenital form
appears at birth. More common form may begin
in teen or adult years.
Symptoms - Generalized weakness
and muscle wasting first affecting the face,
lower legs, forearms, hands and neck, with
delayed relaxation of muscles after contraction
common. Other symptoms involve the gastrointestinal
system, vision, heart or respiration. Learning
disabilities occur in some cases. Congenital
myotonic dystrophy is the more severe form.
Progression - Progression
is slow, sometimes spanning 50 to 60 years.
Inheritance - Autosomal
dominant; the disease may be inherited through
either the father or the mother.
 Facts About Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy
|
Quest Articles by Topic 
