Purpose of the Muscular Dystrophy Association

Muscular Dystrophy Association was established for the purpose of fighting neuromuscular diseases. Although it is called Muscular Dystrophy Association, there is actually no single disease of that name since muscular dystrophy refers to a group of genetic neuromuscular disorders. As such, the MDA aims to defeat several diseases. Included therefore in the research and programs of the MDA are the following diseases: muscular dystrophies, which includes myotonic dystrophy, duchenne muscular dystrophy, becker muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD), Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD), Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH or FSHD), Myotonic Dystrophy (MMD), Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD), Distal Muscular Dystrophy (DD) (Miyoshi) and Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD); metabolic diseases of the muscle, which includes Phosphorylase Deficiency (MPD or PYGM), Acid Maltase Deficiency (AMD), Phosphofructokinase Deficiency, Debrancher Enzyme Deficiency (DBD), Mitochondrial Myopathy (MITO), Carnitine Deficiency (CD), Carnitine Palmityl Transferase Deficiency (CPT), Phosphoglycerate Kinase Deficiency, Phosphoglycerate Mutase Deficiency, Lactate Dehydrogenase Deficiency and Myoadenylate Deaminase Deficiency; inflammatory Myophaties, which includes dermatomyositis, polymyositis and inclusion body myositis; myopathies due to endocrine abnormalities, which includes Hyperthyroid Myopathy (HYPTM), Hypothyroid Myopathy (HYPOTM); motor neuron diseases, which includes Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, 2 and 3 and Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA); diseases of peripheral nerve, which includes Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT), Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) and Dejerine-Sottas Disease (DS); diseases of the neuromuscular junction, which includes Myasthenia Gravis (MG), Lambert-Eaton Syndrome (LES) and Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS); and other myopathies, specifically Myotonia Congenita (MC), Paramyotonia Congenita (PC), Central Core Disease (CCD) Nemaline Myopathy (NM), Myotubular Myopathy/Centronuclear Myopathy (MTM or CNM) and Periodic Paralysis (PP).

MDA awards grants to scientists, doctors, educational institutions, hospitals and other institutions and companies for the research of the above stated diseases. At the same time it offers services programs for individuals with the diseases and their families, medical help and regular summer camps. Education and advocacy are also part of the program that is designed to find a cure for the diseases.

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