What is Muscular Dystrophy?

Muscular Dystrophy is a progressive genetic condition that causes weakening and wasting of muscles. Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders are not contagious, but anyone can get them. They are usually inherited from a parent or parents through their genes, but sometimes appear out of the blue. They affect babies, children, young people and adults of any race.

tHE fUTURE

There is, as yet, no cure, physiotherapy is one way a person with Muscular Dystrophy can prolong their mobility but eventually a Powered  Wheelchair will be necessary.

Medical research has gathered pace in recent years and treatments using Gene Therapy and Stem Cells offer real hope of a major breakthrough in the treatment of Muscular Dystrophy.

The Muscular Dystrophy Forum was setup to give people who are touched by Muscular Dystrophy a place to discuss their hopes and fears, and to catch up on the recent research news 

Copyright MDForum.co.uk  Site by Neil Bailey

JuLY 2006.  Scientists at the University of Washington-Seattle have for the first time markedly improved the well-being and life span of mice with a severe form of muscular dystrophy by systemically administering new genes for a missing protein. HERE

June 2006.   A team led by Dr. Jacques P. Tremblay, has taken an important step toward a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. After performing the first successful muscle cell transplant in young patients two years ago, professor Tremblay announced today that eight out of the nine patients have shown promising results.  HERE

MAY 2006.  Gene therapy experts say they have found a way to persuade cells to repair themselves.
Instead of replacing a faulty gene, the new approach harnesses the cells' own correctional mechanisms.  HERE