Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of genetic nerve disorders, named for the three doctors who first identified it. In the United States it affects about 1 in 2,500 people.
What it affects
CMT damages the peripheral nerves, which carry movement and sensation signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.
Symptoms
- They usually begin around the teen years.
- Early signs: foot problems such as high arches or hammertoes.
- Later: the lower legs weaken, and then the hands.
- Severity varies: so mild you may not notice, or severe enough to cause real weakness.
Diagnosis
A neurologic exam, nerve tests, genetic tests or a nerve biopsy.
Treatment
There is no cure, but physical therapy, occupational therapy, braces and other devices, and sometimes surgery can help.
Sources
Based on "Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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