Spinal Muscular Atrophy

spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease where the muscles weaken and waste away because of degeneration of motor neurones (nerve cells in the spinal cord). The genes of spinal muscular atrophy are passed from parent to their child but this only affects a child if both parents carry a defective gene. If a person has one normal and one affected gene they will not show the symptoms of SMA but will be carriers. Find details, information, symptoms and causes of spinal muscular atrophy along with diagnosis, treatment and research information.