http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. The protein complex mTORC1 promotes muscle growth. However, should this complex remain constantly active, it impairs the ability of the cells to self-clean, causing myopathy. Scientists working with Markus Rüegg, Professor at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, describe the exact mechanism involved in the current issue of the scientific journal Cell Metabolism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-uncleaned-cells-weak-muscles.html Medical research Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:14:46 EST news285930880 Myopathy refers to a muscular disease in which muscle fibers do not function, resulting in muscular weakness and wasting. Vitamin D deficiency is a well-recognized cause of myopathy, and excessive drinking is often associated with low or subnormal levels of vitamin D. A review of studies of the relationship between alcohol-related myopathy and vitamin D deficiency indicates that vitamin D deficiency might partly explain the occurrence of the frequently observed myopathy in chronic alcoholism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-vitamin-d-deficiency-contribute-alcohol-related.html Addiction Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:00:16 EST news274696452 (Medical Xpress)—Efforts to treat disorders like Lou Gehrig's disease, Paget's disease, inclusion body myopathy and dementia will receive a considerable boost from a new research model created by UC Irvine scientists. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-aid-degenerative-disease.html Medical research Tue, 02 Oct 2012 13:13:22 EST news268402331 University of Michigan researchers have discovered a new cause of congenital myopathy: a mutation in a previously uncharacterized gene, according to research published this month in the American Journal of Human Genetics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-gene-mutation-congenital-myopathy.html Genetics Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:52:27 EST news262453933 A multicenter pilot study of etanercept for treatment of dermatomyositis found no major safety concerns and many patients treated with the drug were successfully weaned from steroid therapy. These results are encouraging, but larger studies are needed to further investigate the safety and efficacy of etanercept. Results of this clinical trial are available in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-etanercept-dermatomyositis.html Neuroscience Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:53:54 EST news227501620 The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced new limitations to the use of high-dose simvastatin, due to the increased risk of muscle pain and weakness (myopathy) and in rare cases, kidney damage and failure. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-fda-limits-high-dose-simvastatin-zocor.html Cardiology Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:42:39 EST news226838536