Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) was first discovered 1886 by Howard Henry Tooth, Pierre Marie, and Jean-Marie Charcot. Even though the name implies that this disease affects the teeth, this is not the case. The disease was named after its three discoverers. Some symptom include weakness of the foot and lower leg muscle, decrease muscle bulk and reduced tendon reflexes. Later on, there could be weakness in hands and difficulty in motor skills. Progression of symptoms are usually gradual. However, sometimes, symptoms are so mild, that they do not make the patient weak. There is no cure for the disease but there are treatments to reduce pain. Patients can attend physical therapy, take pain-killing drugs, have occupational therapy, get braces or other orthopedic devices. or have orthopedic surgery. They may also receive braces. Patients are expected to live a normal life-span. This disease strikes 1 out of 2500 people in the United States. This is estimated to be 125,000 total people in the United States alone. Adolescents and young adults are most vulnerable to this disease. However, symptoms can often show up during mid-adulthood. This disease occurs because certain genes in the body are mutated. It affects your peripheral nerves.To develop new treatments, scientists must conduct gene therapy experiments, do research with cell culture and animal models. The must use growth of nerve growth factors and use of tropic factors. They are trying to prevent nerve degeneration. I hope a cure for CMT is found one day. I feel sympathy for people with this disease and hope that they are okay. However, I am glad because they live a normal life-span. I would rather have this disease than a more serious illness, though I would prefer no disease at all. For more information, click here (second website)!