A rare condition and a group of congenital diseases that causes mutilation and muscle weakness is called muscle dystrophy. A protein known as dystrophin is essential for the normal functioning of muscles, the deficiency of this protein weakens the muscles and their working. The absence of this protein is linked with so many problems. The muscles of body shrink and become weaker with time, affecting walking, working, muscle coordination, and even swallowing. The disease can also affect the functioning of other organs like the heart and lungs. This disorder can occur at any age in your life, and mostly the diagnosis occurs in childhood. Young boys have seen to acquire this disease more than girls. The people suffering from muscle dystrophy can lose their ability to walk and may even require a wheelchair.
Causes Of Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is an inherited disease and runs in families. When a faulty gene is transferred from parents to offspring, they can develop the condition. The genes are responsible for identifying the characters and functions of the body. These genes carry all the information about the next offspring. When any of the genes is affected or faulty, a mutation occurs. Mutation in genes responsible for healthy muscle structure and function causes muscular dystrophy. This mutation means that the cells responsible for maintaining the muscle will no longer do their job, which will lead to muscle weakness and disability in the person. There are a few conditions that can develop and cause muscular dystrophy. The conditions include
- Recessive inherited disorder
- Dominantly inherited disorder
- Sex-linked disorder
Recessive inherited disorder
Recessive inherited disorder means that an altered version of the gene has been inherited. If the copies of the altered gene from both parents are transferred, then disorder will occur. If the child is inherited with an altered gene from one parent, he will become the carrier. A carrier is a person who is not affected by the disease but can transfer the disease to his/her children. In this way, the recessive inherited disorder can result in the transferring of disease.