Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Structure that edits messenger RNA transcripts defective in two different forms of motor neuron diseases

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are degenerative motor neuron diseases in which the key mutated genes are involved in RNA metabolism. This similarity suggests that a ...

Medical research created Apr 26, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Study offers new approach for spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy is a debilitating neuromuscular disease that in its most severe form is the leading genetic cause of infant death. By experimenting with an ALS drug in two very different animal models, researchers ...

Neuroscience created Apr 09, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Phase 1 ALS trial is first to test antisense treatment of neurodegenerative disease

The initial clinical trial of a novel approach to treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – blocking production of a mutant protein that causes an inherited form of the progressive neurodegererative disease – may ...

Neuroscience created Apr 03, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

High mortality, morbidity with early-onset scoliosis surgery

(HealthDay)—Surgery for patients with early-onset scoliosis is associated with an 18 percent mortality rate and an 84 percent complication rate, according to research published in the Feb. 15 issue of Spine.

Surgery created Mar 25, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Mutated gene causes nerve cell death

Researchers identify new mechanism in the onset of incurable nerve disease The British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is likely to be the world's most famous person living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ...

Medical research created Mar 13, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

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Health created Feb 08, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researcher advancing motor neuron studies

A University of Connecticut researcher is advancing the understanding of the devastating inherited condition known as spinal muscular atrophy.

Neuroscience created Jan 29, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

'Stem cell tourism' growing trend: Panel decries overseas clinics that provide treatments devoid of scientific validity

Internet sites offer help for people suffering from a dizzying array of serious conditions, including: Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atherosclerosis, autism, brain damage, cancer, cerebellar ...

Other created Dec 03, 2012 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 1

New research sheds light on childhood neuromuscular disease

A study by scientists at the Motor Neuron Center at Columbia University Medical Center suggests that spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disease in infants and children, results primarily from problems ...

Medical research created Nov 20, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

New MRI technique allows detailed imaging of complex muscle structures and muscle damage

TU/e and the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam have together developed a technique that allows detailed 3D imaging of complex muscle structures of patients. It also allows muscle damage to be detected ...

Medical research created Oct 30, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Novel mechanisms underlying major childhood neuromuscular disease identified

A study by scientists from the Motor Neuron Center at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) suggests that spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disease in infants and children, results ...

Medical research created Oct 11, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Shared pathway links Lou Gehrig's disease with spinal muscular atrophy

Researchers of motor neuron diseases have long had a hunch that two fatal diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), might somehow be linked. A new study confirms that this link exists.

Medical research created Sep 27, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Judge OKs stem cell cure for 2-year-old girl

(AP)—Doctors are preparing an emergency one-off stem cell treatment for 2-year-old Venetian girl suffering a severe muscular disease after a judge revoked an order blocking the cure.

Medical research created Aug 23, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Low oxygen levels may decrease life-saving protein in spinal muscular atrophy

Investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital may have discovered a biological explanation for why low levels of oxygen advance spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) symptoms and why breathing treatments help SMA patients live ...

Genetics created Aug 21, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Team introduces new method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects

A team led by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has developed a new way of making animal models for a broad class of human genetic diseases – those with pathology caused by errors in the splicing of ...

Genetics created Aug 14, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an incurable autosomal recessive disease caused by a genetic defect in the SMN1 gene which codes SMN, a protein necessary for survival of motor neurons, and resulting in death of neuronal cells in the anterior horn of spinal cord and subsequent system-wide muscle wasting (atrophy).

Spinal muscular atrophy manifests in various degrees of severity which all have in common general muscle wasting and mobility impairment. Other body systems may be affected as well, particularly in early-onset forms. Spinal muscular atrophy is the most common genetic cause of infant death.

Sometimes, the term spinal muscular atrophy is used to encompass other hereditary disorders that involve death of motor neurons in the anterior horn of spinal cord - see spinal muscular atrophies.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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