Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy
Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy
Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Summary
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare genetic muscle disorder with onset during adulthood most often between 40 and 60 years of age. OPMD is characterized by slowly progressive muscle disease (myopathy) affecting the muscles of the upper eyelids and the throat. Affected individuals may develop drooping of the eyelids (ptosis), trouble moving their eyes (ophthalmoplegia) and/or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Double vision (diplopia) is uncommon. Eventually, additional muscles may become involved including those of the upper legs and arms (proximal limb weakness). In some cases, muscle weakness of the legs may eventually cause difficulty walking. OPMD may be inherited as an autosomal dominant or recessive trait.
Introduction
OPMD belongs to a group of rare genetic muscle disorders known as the muscular dystrophies. These disorders are characterized by weakness and atrophy of various voluntary muscles of the body. Approximately 30 different disorders make up the muscular dystrophies. The disorders affect different muscles and have different ages of onset, severity and inheritance patterns. Unlike OPMD, most forms of muscular dystrophy have onset during childhood or adolescence.
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Tel: (914)997-4488
Fax: (914)997-4763
Tel: (888)663-4637
Email: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com
Muscular Dystrophy Association
3300 East Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718-3208
USA
Tel: (520)529-2000
Fax: (520)529-5300
Tel: (800)572-1717
Email: mda@mdausa.org
Internet: http://www.mda.org/
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
61 Southwark Street
London, SE1 0HL
United Kingdom
Tel: 02078034800
Email: info@muscular-dystrophy.org
Internet: http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
TDD: (301)468-5981
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Society for Muscular Dystrophy Information International
P.O. Box 7490
Bridgewater
Nova Scotia, B4V 2X6
Canada
Tel: 9026853961
Fax: 9026853962
Email: smdi@auracom.com
Internet: http://www.nsnet.org/smdi/
European Alliance of Neuromuscular Disorders Associations
MDG Malta 4
Gzira Road
Gzira, GAR 04
Malta
Tel: 0035621346688
Fax: 0035621318024
Email: eamda@hotmail.com
Internet: http://www.eamda.net
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
TDD: (888)205-3223
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/
It is possible that the main title of the report Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Synonyms
- OPMD
- autosomal dominant OPMD
- autosomal recessive OPMD
Disorder Subdivisions
- None
General Discussion
Summary
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare genetic muscle disorder with onset during adulthood most often between 40 and 60 years of age. OPMD is characterized by slowly progressive muscle disease (myopathy) affecting the muscles of the upper eyelids and the throat. Affected individuals may develop drooping of the eyelids (ptosis), trouble moving their eyes (ophthalmoplegia) and/or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Double vision (diplopia) is uncommon. Eventually, additional muscles may become involved including those of the upper legs and arms (proximal limb weakness). In some cases, muscle weakness of the legs may eventually cause difficulty walking. OPMD may be inherited as an autosomal dominant or recessive trait.
Introduction
OPMD belongs to a group of rare genetic muscle disorders known as the muscular dystrophies. These disorders are characterized by weakness and atrophy of various voluntary muscles of the body. Approximately 30 different disorders make up the muscular dystrophies. The disorders affect different muscles and have different ages of onset, severity and inheritance patterns. Unlike OPMD, most forms of muscular dystrophy have onset during childhood or adolescence.
Resources
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Tel: (914)997-4488
Fax: (914)997-4763
Tel: (888)663-4637
Email: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com
Muscular Dystrophy Association
3300 East Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718-3208
USA
Tel: (520)529-2000
Fax: (520)529-5300
Tel: (800)572-1717
Email: mda@mdausa.org
Internet: http://www.mda.org/
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
61 Southwark Street
London, SE1 0HL
United Kingdom
Tel: 02078034800
Email: info@muscular-dystrophy.org
Internet: http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
TDD: (301)468-5981
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Society for Muscular Dystrophy Information International
P.O. Box 7490
Bridgewater
Nova Scotia, B4V 2X6
Canada
Tel: 9026853961
Fax: 9026853962
Email: smdi@auracom.com
Internet: http://www.nsnet.org/smdi/
European Alliance of Neuromuscular Disorders Associations
MDG Malta 4
Gzira Road
Gzira, GAR 04
Malta
Tel: 0035621346688
Fax: 0035621318024
Email: eamda@hotmail.com
Internet: http://www.eamda.net
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
TDD: (888)205-3223
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/
