Advances in research

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The Advances in research documents present the medical and scientific news for a given neuromuscular disease or group of neuromuscular diseases: medical and scientific events, clinical studies, ongoing trials, scientific and medical publications…

Advances in myotonic dystrophy type 1 – June 2024

This disease, which is also known as Steinert disease, mainly affects the muscles but can also impact other organs to a greater or lesser extent. DM1 is a “multisystem” disorder, meaning it affects several different organs (muscles, the heart, the respiratory system, the digestive system, the endocrine system and the nervous system). Muscles decrease in … [Read more]

Advances in myotonic dystrophy type 2 – June 2024

DM2 mainly affects the muscles but can also impact other organs to a greater or lesser extent. It is very similar to another more common neuromuscular disease called myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Muscles decrease in volume, become weak (dystrophy) and have difficulty relaxing after they contract (myotonia).  DM2 is a “multisystem” disorder, meaning it … [Read more]

Advances in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – June 2024

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of genetic diseases that cause damage to the peripheral nerves (nerves that connect the spinal cord to muscles and sensory organs) of the arms and legs (neuropathy). It is also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). Common symptoms are muscle weakness and wasting in the legs (feet and … [Read more]

Advances in congenital myopathies

Congenital myopathies are a heterogenous group of rare diseases characterised by structural abnormalities in muscle fibres which are most often detected at a young age. These abnormalities lead to muscle weakness (hypotonia and impaired motor skills) which generally manifests at birth or during the first few months of life (“congenital”). This document, presents research news … [Read more]

Advances in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy – June 2023

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD or FSH) is a rare genetic disease. The first symptoms (wasting and weakness of muscles in the face and upper limbs) usually appear in adolescence or adulthood. The muscle involvement in FSHD is often asymmetric and varies greatly from person to person. It is a slowly progressive disease in most cases … [Read more]

Advances in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy – June 2023

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are rare genetic diseases which affect skeletal and cardiac muscle. They primarily occur in males but can also occasionally affect females. DMD manifests as progressive muscle weakness which begins during childhood, while BMD manifests as less severe muscle weakness which appears during childhood or adolescence, or … [Read more]

Advances in myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis is a rare disease that manifests as fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigue of varying intensity and duration which can affect any of the voluntary muscles. It is often accompanied by thymus gland irregularities such as hyperplasia and occasionally thymoma. This document, published to coincide with the AFM- Téléthon General Meeting 2023, presents myasthenia … [Read more]

Advances in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases, characterised by damage to the peripheral nerves of the upper and lower limbs. This damage mainly causes muscle weakness, hand and foot sensory disorders (and at times, pain) and balance disorders. Most of the time, the condition begins in childhood or young adulthood, … [Read more]

Advances in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is a heterogeneous group of rare genetic muscle diseases. These diseases manifest as a deficit and atrophy of the pelvis muscles (pelvic girdle) and the shoulder muscles (pectoral girdle). The disease manifestations vary significantly, from simple muscle fatigue to forms that can result in an inability to walk, with or without … [Read more]

Advances in SMN1-related proximal spinal muscular atrophy

SMN1-related proximal spinal muscular atrophy is a type of proximal spinal muscular atrophy, a rare group of genetic diseases causing degeneration of the nerve cells conveying, from the spinal cord to the muscles, messages ordering movement: the peripheral motor neurons. A decrease in the number of muscle fibres, which cannot survive without innervation, causes a … [Read more]