Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. (context pathology English) A group of genetic diseases which cause progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.
WordNet
n. any of several hereditary diseases of the muscular system characterized by weakness and wasting of skeletal muscles [syn: dystrophy]
Wikipedia
Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion (walking or moving). Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.
As of 2016, no specific treatment or cure for muscular dystrophy is known. However, physiotherapy, aerobic exercise, low-intensity catabolic steroids such as prednisone, and deflazacort (for which the U.S. FDA has designated fast-track status in January 2016 to conduct clinical trials) can help to maintain muscle tone.
Apart from the nine major types of muscular dystrophy, several MD-like conditions, also known as "outliers", exist. Normal intellectual, behavioral, bowel, and sexual functions are noticed among these "outliers". MD-affected individuals with susceptible intellectual impairment are diagnosed through molecular characteristics, but not through problems associated with disability. However, a third of patients who are severely affected with DMD may have cognitive impairment or behavioral, vision, and speech problems.
Usage examples of "muscular dystrophy".
But then, no human being should have to have cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy or leukemia.
Roberta had known a girl with muscular dystrophy back in junior high.
Trask's reference to animal-rights activists prompted her to recall that last year a group of protestors who'd stolen rabbits being used for medical research had destroyed a five-year experiment that might have resulted in a cure for muscular dystrophy.
And if the retard happened to be a mentally normal boy with muscular dystrophy?
Her mother has three other children at home, two with muscular dystrophy.
I'm telling you, man, I started worrying that maybe I had lupus, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's.
According to the Osage Indians, they were approached by a white horse-doctor called Grant who was dying of some kind of wasting disease, muscular dystrophy probably.
His mouth was drawn back at the corners, resembling the transverse laugh of progressive muscular dystrophy.
The muscular dystrophy has weakened him but his vital signs are strong and, aside from fatigue, he is in no worse condition than when we left Lychen.
Alzheimer's, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, leukemia, anorexia, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, for Christ sakes –.