Genetic cause of muscular dystrophy discovered

The genetic cause of one of the most common types of muscular dystrophy has been discovered. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy is the third most common form of the crippling disease and affects the upper body.

The researchers found that FSHD occurs when a missing piece of DNA allows nearby genes to become overactive. Dr. Rossella Tupler, of the University of Massachusetts and the Universita' degit Studi di Pavia in Italy, made the breakthrough. Daniel Perez, president of the US Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Society which funded the research, said: "With this major step, we now have a starting point for developing therapeutic tools."

Source: The Times of India
Dated :20th August, 2002