What is the difference between muscular dystrophy and muscular atrophy

As with Duchenne, disease is almost always limited to males. Congenital birth Age at onset Age at onset Symptoms include general muscle weakness and possible joint deformities; disease progresses slowly; shortened life span. Duchenne 2 to 6 years Age at onset Age at onset Symptoms include general muscle weakness and wasting; affects pelvis, upper arms, and upper legs; eventually involves all voluntary muscles; survival beyond 20s is rare.

Seen in boys only. Very rarely can affect woman, who have much milder symptoms and a better prognosis. Distal 40 to 60 years Age at onset Age at onset Symptoms include weakness and wasting of muscles of the hands, forearms, and lower legs; progression is slow; rarely leads to total incapacity. Emery-Dreifuss childhood to early teens Age at onset Age at onset Symptoms include weakness and wasting of shoulder, upper arm, and shin muscles; joint deformities are common; progression is slow; sudden death may occur from cardiac problems.

Currently, there is no cure for muscular dystrophy. Medications and various therapies help slow the progression of the disease and keep the patient mobile for the longest possible time. Muscular dystrophy is caused by mutations on the X chromosome. Each version of muscular dystrophy is due to a different set of mutations, but all prevent the body from producing dystrophin.

Dystrophin is a protein essential for building and repairing muscles. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by specific mutations in the gene that encodes the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin. Dystrophin makes up just 0. Dystrophin is part of an incredibly complex group of proteins that allow muscles to work correctly. The protein helps anchor various components within muscle cells together and links them all to the sarcolemma — the outer membrane. If dystrophin is absent or deformed, this process does not work correctly, and disruptions occur in the outer membrane.

This weakens the muscles and can also actively damage the muscle cells themselves. In Duchenne muscular dystrophy, dystrophin is almost totally absent; the less dystrophin that is produced, the worse the symptoms and etiology of the disease. In Becker muscular dystrophy, there is a reduction in the amount or size of the dystrophin protein. The gene coding for dystrophin is the largest known gene in humans.

More than 1, mutations in this gene have been identified in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy can lead to life-threatening complications, such as breathing difficulties and heart problems. In the past, people with this condition did not usually survive beyond their 20s, but progress is improving the outlook.

Atrophy reduces the cell size, organs and tissues. In the case of humans, they experience loss of mass, muscles, shrinking of body fat and weight.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic condition where a species suffers from progressive mass loss, weakening of muscles with time. This is a heredity challenge where this protein cannot be formed in the body resulting in swallowing, walking problems, or even muscle coordination. Well, atrophy is a challenge where a person suffers from mass loss due to lack of nutrition, acute scanty of food, suffering from some chronic or acute diseases like polio.

This tends to lose and decrease the body cells, the shrinking of organs, or several other vital tissues in the body. Cells at a certain age undergo atrophy, not under physiologic condition. This also results in a reduction in metabolic activities and a lack of active participation in any sort of sports or work.

The lack of vitamins and protein weakens the body by alleviating the size of muscle tissues. Either one would shrink or maybe both. Weakness in one limb. Symptoms include weakness and wasting of muscles of the hands, forearms, and lower legs.

Progression is slow. It rarely leads to total disability. Symptoms include weakness and wasting of shoulder, upper arm, and shin muscles. Joint deformities are common. Sudden death may occur from cardiac problems. Symptoms include facial muscle weakness and weakness with some wasting of shoulders and upper arms.

Progression is slow with periods of rapid deterioration. Life span may be many decades after onset. Symptoms include weakness and wasting, affecting shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle first.

Death is usually due to cardiopulmonary complications. Symptoms include weakness of all muscle groups and delayed relaxation of muscles after contraction. It affects the face, feet, hands, and neck first. Progression is slow, sometimes spanning 50 to 60 years.