Introduction to muscular dystrophies and related disorders

[Cami]

Muscular dystrophies are a group of inherited muscle disorders in which one or more genes needed for normal muscle structure and function are defective, leading to muscle weakness of varying severity. Muscle fibers appear deteriorated (dystrophic) when viewed under a microscope. Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy are the second most common forms. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a more severe form. Becker muscular dystrophy is closely related to Duchenne dystrophy but starts later in a child