Causes of Muscular Dystrophy

Diagram of Cellular Proteins Involved in Muscular Dystrophies

Each form of Muscular dystrophy has a different cause. They are all due to some form of inherited disorder. Frequently the defect in the muscle is one of a series of proteins which function on the surface of the muscle fiber, known as the dystrophin associated glycoprotein compex. These diseases can be passed on in an autosomal dominant fashion, which means an affected parent has a 50% chance of passing it on to each child. There are also autosomal recessive forms in which neither parent is affected but can pass it on to a child who has the disease. There are also X-linked forms which means only males can be affected but the females can be carriers for the disease and pass it on to male children.