What is the difference between spinal muscle atrophy and muscular dystrophy?

Answer 1

Multiple sclerosis means "many scars" on the myelin sheath of the central nervous system, and muscular dystrophy refers to muscle weakness and atrophy. Multiple sclerosis affects nerve while muscular dystrophy affects muscle. Some of the symptoms are similar, such as extreme fatigue and difficulty with movement, but MS is an autoimmune disorder that can flare and affect a different area of the CNS each time while MD is a genetic disorder that is progressive and often follows a specific pattern (areas) of muscle wasting.

With MS, disability occurs when the flares are more constant and cause permanent nerve damage to an area of the body, sometimes resulting in being blind, incontinent, wheelchair bound, or even bed ridden. With muscular dystrophy, the disability comes from the lack of stamina due to muscles wasting. Having less and less healthy muscle fibers makes the person exhausted doing simple tasks and eventually can lead to inability to lift, carry, walk, or stand. Falls can happen with both disorders, as healthy nerve and muscle are needed to balance one's body. Falling can result in a secondary disability and recovery is slow and incomplete sometimes. Both of these diseases and their sufferers need our support.

Answer 2

atrophy is relating to disruption in the innervation of the muscle, while dystrophy relates to disruption in the muscle fibers itself. this disruption of muscle fibers, as in destruction of the sarcolemma (as seen in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy) is unique to dystrophies and usually results in pseudohypertrophy of certain muscles (i.e., the gastrocnemius in DMD). pseudohypertrophy is not seen in simple muscle atrophy. however, some would consider muscle atrophy to be a preexisting state of the muscle during the natural course of the muscular dystrophy disease.

Answer 3

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder. There are several forms of this disorder.

Spinal muscle atrophy is similar in some ways to MD, but it is seen in little children first. It is sometimes called "floppy baby" syndrome. This is also a genetic disorder.

The neurons off the spinal cord are affected in spinal muscle atrophy.

MD is caused by a problem with the muscles themselves and not with the neurons or nerves.

Answer 4

None; atrophy means wasting away