Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion (walking or movement).

• It is characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue
• It involves growing progressively weaker, losing the ability to walk, and dying at an early age
• Most types are multi-system disorders with manifestations in body systems, including the heart, GI system, nervous system, endocrine glands, eyes and brain
• Normal intellectual, muscular, behavioral, bowel and sexual functions is noticed in individuals with other forms of muscular dystrophy and like conditions
• Affected patients with susceptible intellectual impairment are Dx through molecular characteristics, but not through problems associated with disability
• However, 1/3rd of patients who are severely affected may have cognitive impairment, behavioral, vision and speech problems

• The most common and severe form of the disease is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, named after the French neurologist Dr Guillaume Duchenne
• Other major forms include Becker, limb-girdle, congenital fascioaphulohumeral, myotonic, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
• Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are caused by a mutation of a gene located on the X chromosome, predominantly affecting males, although females can sometimes have severe Sx as well
• Several other muscular dystrophy-like conditions have also been identified