Dm1 Research Paper

Credibility Statement: According to the "Muscular Dystrophies" by Harvey B.Sarnat in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 20th Ed 2016, "A muscular dystrophy is distinguished from all other neuromuscular diseases by 4 obligatory criteria: It is a primary myopathy, it has a genetic basis,

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a disease which causes skeletal muscle to waste away, this wasting of muscle is caused by a mutation of the dystrophin gene (Meregalli et al., 2013, p. 4251).

According to Lewis and associates, DM is a chronic disease that affects multiple body systems. For the purpose of this paper, only DM type 2 will be discussed based

Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the most common out of nine types of muscular dystrophy. This genetic disorder causes progressive muscular weakness, and deterioration due to the lack of a protein called Dystrophin. This protein keeps the muscles in tack, so when it's missing, the muscles slowly break down. (MDA, 2015)

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is a type of muscular dystrophy where the muscles affected are the hips and shoulders, which are also known as the limb girdle muscles. Some symptoms of Limb-girdle are muscle weakness/atrophy, myoglobinuria, myotonia, elevated serum CK, and in a fifth of the cases, cardiomyopathy. The symptoms continue to get worse over time and sometimes they can get worse very quickly. The symptoms tend to appear around the age of 10 or 12, and the person may lose mobility within 20-30 years. Limb-girdle is not a fatal disease, and death usually is caused by a secondary disease. But in the most severe cases the lifespan is shortened to about 20-30 years.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a sex-linked disease, which is inherited in a recessive fashion (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). Over thirty similar genetic disorders exist (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). All types of muscular dystrophy are considered to be a rare disorder (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is most common in children and causes muscle weakness and wasting, which commonly begins in the lower limbs (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015; National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). The disease itself is caused by changes to the DMD gene, which is responsible for providing instructions regarding the creation of the dystrophin protein in one’s muscles (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). This protein is responsible for protecting muscles from damage, and without it the cells of a person’s muscles deteriorate and symptoms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are exhibited (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). The disease results from changes in the DMD gene, or other genetic changes in a child (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015).

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a sex-linked disease, which is inherited in a recessive fashion (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). Over thirty similar genetic disorders exist (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). All types of muscular dystrophy are considered to be a rare disorder (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is most common in children and causes muscle weakness and wasting, which commonly begins in the lower limbs (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015; National Human Genome Research Institute, 2013). The disease itself is caused by changes to the DMD gene, which is responsible for providing instructions regarding the creation of the dystrophin protein in one’s muscles (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). This protein is responsible for protecting muscles from damage, and without it the cells of a person’s muscles deteriorate and symptoms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are exhibited (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015). The disease results from changes in the DMD gene, or other genetic changes in a child (Duchenne Foundation Australia, 2015).

DMD is the biggest (known) gene in the human body. It contains the directions to make the protein dystrophin. Dystrophin is found mostly in skeletal muscles and heart muscles. Modest amounts are present in the brain, in nerve cells also. Dystrophin joins other proteins to form a protein complex, that toil to strengthen muscle fibers and safeguard them from harm. Dystrophin complexes act as anchors (desmosomes), to

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a rare, progressive disease relating to the weakening of skeletal muscles. There are more than 30 types of muscular dystrophy that are further divided into nine categories. Duchenne MD is the most common and acute form of this condition that accounts for 50% of all the cases. Duchenne MD (DMD) is most prevalent in males, between the ages of 3 and 5 (Norwood, FL, et al. 2009). This X-linked disease occurs for 1 in every 3,500 males, which results in confinement to a wheelchair (Blake et al., 2002). Becker MD (BMD) is a less severe type of this condition. A study conducted in the United Kingdom by Bushby, Thambyayah and Gardner-Medwin, the incidence of Becker MD was estimated to be 1 in 18,450 males at birth

Even though the annual telethon is over, muscular dystrophy—all nine forms—still exists. MD presents with a combination of muscle weakness and muscle wasting.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease that pertains only to males caused by a defective gene and normally leads to many problems affecting a child’s leg movement. This disease got its name from the neurologist, Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne. He was a very consistent doctor who followed many patients medical records. He diagnosed one of his patients with muscular dystrophy and then the disease picked up his name, due to his founding.

Currently, there are 9 major forms of muscular dystrophy which include: Myotonic, Becker, Limb-girdle, Facioscapulohumeral, Congenital, Oculopharyngeal, Distal, Emery-Dreifuss, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Mayo Clinic, 2014). For the purpose of this paper, the cause, as well as the impact of Duchenne muscular dystrophy on development, will be discussed.

Myotonic Dystrophy is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. It is a chronic, multi-system disorder that is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Symptoms include; myotonia (prolonged muscle contractions), the inability to relax certain muscles after use, slurred speech, temporary locking of jaw, cataracts, abnormalities of the electrical signals that control the heartbeat, and early balding and infertility in men. There are two major types of myotonic dystrophy, type 1 and type 2. Many of the symptoms are overlapping, the only differences are type 1 is generally more severe than type 2 and type 1 affects the lower legs, hands, neck and face. Whereas, type 2 affects the neck, shoulders, elbows, and hips. Myotonic dystrophy

The symptoms are also effected by the age of the carrier. If an adult is experiencing muscle weakness especially in the leg, hand, neck, and face, and myotonia, which is uncontrollable contraction of muscles, they should be suspected of having DM1. If a newborn has hypotonia, facial muscle weakness, general weakness, positional malformations, or respiratory insufficiency, it should also be suspected of having DM1. Many testes are available to be able to determine if you have DM1. Some tests include electromyography, serum CK concentration, and a muscle biopsy. Checking allele sizes also help to determine whether or not you are positive for DM1. Unfortunately, since the disorder is rare, it is very difficult to predict a prognosis on it. “Non-molecular testing that has been used in the past to establish the diagnosis of DM1 currently has little role in diagnosis and is primarily used if molecular testing of DMPK does not identify the CTG repeat expansion and other myopathies are being considered.” (Thomas D. Bird).

According to Medical News Today, muscular dystrophy is a disorder that is characterized by the progressive loss of muscle mass and consequent loss of strength(Newman). There are specific causes that effect the body, and thus creates certain symptoms that are noticeable initially, and symptoms that occur later on in the process. I will be discussing the causes, symptoms-both initial and later, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. In order for one to be classified as having muscular dystrophy, there are certain causes that are very unique to this disorder. First off, though let me say that there are different types of muscular dystrophy, which are: Myotonic, Duchenne, Becker, Limb-girdle, Facioscapulohumeral, Congenital, Oculopharyngeal, Distal,