InsightsFrenzy.com | Discover Insightful Content

Types of the SMA Disease

SMA or spinal muscular atrophy is a group of genetic disease that causes weakness and wasting of voluntary muscles. A person suffering from SMA cannot control the movement of their muscles. One of the major reasons a person suffers from this disease is the loss of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brainstem. Surveys suggest that one in every 5,000 to 10,000 infants around the world is born with this disease.

In more than 90 percent of cases, SMA is caused due to inadequate production of Survival Motor Neuron (SMN), which is a protein essential for specialized nerve cells called motor neurons. The protein is produced by SMN1 and SMN2, which are present in the genes on chromosome 5. Typically, people have two copies of the SMN1 gene and multiple copies of SMN2 in each of the motor neuron cells. In people suffering from the SMA disease, both the copies of the SMN1 gene are missing or altered. Having additional copies of the SMN2 gene is associated with milder forms of the disease. Here are the three main types of the SMA disease you need to know:

SMA1
The severe form of SMA, it is also called the Werdnig-Hoffman disease. SMA1 is the most common type of SMA and is usually evident at birth or within the first few months of birth. Patients suffering from SMA1 are usually up to six months old. The symptoms include weak trunk movement and floppy limbs. Toddlers with this type of disease have a very limited ability to move. They also face difficulty in holding their heads up and swallowing. SMA1 progresses rapidly and weakens the muscles, leading to frequent respiratory infections, and it can even cause death by the age of 2.

SMA2
The symptoms of this type of SMA appear between the ages of 7 to 18 months, and the rate of progression varies. The disease affects a child’s legs, as a result of which children suffering from SMA2 can never stand and suffer from respiratory infections. The life expectancy of children suffering from SMA2 can be up to adulthood, depending on the severity of the condition.

SMA3
Also known as the Kugelberg-Welander disease or juvenile SMA, it is the mildest version and can affect a child from 18 months to adulthood. Children suffering from this version can stand and walk, but they may have trouble getting up from a sitting position and experience muscle weakness.

Disclaimer:

The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.

Popular Articles

SMA Disease – Alarming Signs and Symptoms

Spinal Muscle Atrophy or SMA is a hereditary disease that affects the spinal cord, gradually attacking the lower motor neurons, causing the muscles to get weaker. The symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy significantly vary depending on the type of condition.

All You Need To Know About Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary sickness influencing the portion of the sensory system that controls the movement of voluntary muscles. The vast majority of the nerve cells that control muscles are situated in the spinal cord, which represents the word spinal given in the name of the ailment.

Important things to know about SMA

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that hampers with a child’s ability to move by affecting motor nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. This disease is progressive in nature and is caused by the loss of specialized motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA)

Medical professionals consider spinal muscular atrophy, also known as SMA, a hereditary motor neuron disease that impacts the lower motor neuron-nerve cells within the brainstem and spinal cord, which are responsible for voluntary muscle control.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy – Types, Diagnosis, and Treatments

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that interferes with the control of muscle movement. This condition occurs when there is a loss of specialized motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem.

A brief overview of the 4 types of SMA

A rare genetic condition, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), affects one in six to ten thousand people. This condition causes an impairment in the individual’s ability to control their muscle movement.