Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Death of spinal motor neurons and subsequent muscle paralysis characterize Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a hereditary neuromuscular disorder that is the most common genetic ... more about Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A rare condition characterized by progressive degeneration of the spinal and brainstem motor neurons. During fetal development excess primary neurons are formed. The body automatically destroys the extra primary neurons so that only some survive and mature into neurons. In spinal muscular dystrophy, the process that destroys the excess primary neurons doesn't switch off and continues destroying the neurons resulting in progressive motor problems. Various types of the condition range from mild to severe enough to cause death within a couple of years of birth. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Spinal Muscular Atrophy is available below.
See full list of 34 symptoms of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
See full list of 8 treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
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Prognosis for Spinal Muscular Atrophy: The prognosis for individuals with SMA varies depending on the type of SMA and the degree of respiratory function. Some may appear to be stable for protracted periods, but improvement is not to be expected. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Spinal Muscular Atrophy Information Page: NINDS)
More about prognosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
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The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Spinal Muscular Atrophy include:
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Types of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
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Death of spinal motor neurons and subsequent muscle paralysis characterize Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a hereditary neuromuscular disorder that is the most common genetic cause of childhood fatality. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic, motor neuron disease characterized by wasting of the skeletal muscles caused by progressive degeneration of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. The disorder causes weakness and atrophy of the voluntary muscles. Weakness is often more severe in the legs than in the arms. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Spinal Muscular Atrophy Information Page: NINDS)
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of
Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). This means that Spinal Muscular Atrophy, or a subtype of Spinal Muscular Atrophy,
affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Ophanet, a consortium of European partners,
currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
They list Spinal Muscular Atrophy as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet
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