Patient's question:
I am 27 years old, and I plan to divorce. My younger brother is 17 years old. At the age of 3, he was discovered to have spinal muscular atrophy, and now he is completely paralyzed with deformed vertebrae, unable to support himself. Is spinal muscular atrophy inherited over generations?Doctor's answer:
Spinal muscular atrophy can be inherited across generations. Muscle atrophy refers to the nutritional disorder of skeletal muscle, where muscle fibers become thin or even disappear, leading to an increase in muscle volume. The main causes include: neurogenic atrophy, myopathic atrophy, disuse atrophy, and other types of atrophy. In addition to the pathological changes within the muscle tissue itself, the nutritional status of the muscles is closely related to the nervous system. Spinal cord diseases often lead to muscle malnutrition, which can result in muscle atrophy.Advice: The first step in treating muscle atrophy is to identify the underlying cause. If it is not caused by a disease, exercise can gradually restore muscle function. If it is caused by a disease, targeted treatment is necessary. First, seek medical diagnosis at a hospital.