Common Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA)
Medical professionals consider spinal muscular atrophy, also known as SMA, a hereditary motor neuron disease that impacts the lower motor neuron-nerve cells within the brainstem and spinal cord, which are responsible for voluntary muscle control. SMA gradually destroys the lower motor neurons and the patient’s ability to control movement in the face, tongue, throat, chest, arms, and legs, by disrupting signals from the brain to the muscles, and causing severe muscles spasticity (or stiffness), muscle wasting and fasciculations (uncontrolled twitching), and eventual and total loss of voluntary muscle movement.
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