| What do the BIG words mean anyway? Reference: MDA article. |
| myopathy From the Greek words myo, meaning muscle, and pathos, disease or suffering Definition: any disease or abnormal condition of voluntary muscle neuropathy From the Greek words neuron, meaning nerve or sinew, and pathos, disease or suffering Definition: any disease of the nervous system. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, in which loss of nerve cells prevents muscles from working, are neuropathies, as are diseases in which nerve fibers malfunction, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth and Dejerine-Sottas disease. dystrophy From the Greek words dys, meaning abnormal or faulty, and trophe, nourishment Definition: a disorder caused by defective "nutrition" or metabolism atrophy From the Greek words a, meaning not, and trophe, nourishment Definition: a decrease in the size of an organ or tissue (wasting). Common causes of diseases involving muscle atrophy are a lack of nutrients or blood supply or loss of signals from nerve cells. spinal muscular atrophy The muscle wasting or atrophy in this genetic disorder results from loss of signals from nerve cells in the spinal cord. myasthenia From myo, meaning muscle; a, without; and sthenos, strength Definition: muscle weakness or lack of strength. Today, "myasthenia" refers specifically to muscle weakness resulting from faulty communication between nerve and muscle at the place where nerve and muscle meet (the neuromuscular junction). myotonia (adjective myotonic) From myo, meaning muscle, and tonos, tone Definition: inability to relax muscles after contraction myotonic dystrophy This genetic disorder involves (but isn't limited to) both myotonia and structural damage to muscles (dystrophy). myositis From the Greek word myo, meaning muscle, and the Greek suffix itis, meaning inflammation of Definition: an inflammation of the muscle, which can result from infection, injury, or attack by the immune system on muscle tissue |
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