Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is a U.S. organization founded in 1950 which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public. 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic and hereditary muscle diseases; characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue. ... The nervous system of an animal coordinates the activity of the muscles, monitors the organs, constructs and processes input from the senses, and initiates actions. ... The muscular system is the biological system of animals that allows them to move internally and externally. ... Medical research is research conducted to aid the body of knowledge in the field of medicine. ...

MDA targets the following muscular dystrophy diseases:

1. Duchenne muscular dystrophy
2. Becker's muscular dystrophy
3. Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
4. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
5. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
6. Myotonic dystrophy
7. Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
8. Distal muscular dystrophy
9. Congenital muscular dystrophy

It also targets the following: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (also known as pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy or muscular dystrophy - Duchenne type) is an inherited disorder characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness which starts in the legs and pelvis and later affects the whole body. ... Beckers muscular dystrophy (also known as Benign pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy) is an X-linked recessive inherited disorder characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness of the legs and pelvis. ... Limb-girdle muscular distrophy or Erbs muscular dystrophy is a type of muscular dystrophy that includes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Beckers muscular dystrophy, and a large number of rarer disorders. ... FSHD Headline text Facioscapulohumeral Disease fa-cio-scap-u-lo-hum-er-al (fa-she-o-skap-y -lo-hum- -ral) adj. ... Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a chronic, slowly progressing, highly variable inherited disease that can manifest at any age from birth to old age. ... Oculopharyngeal dystrophy (OPD), or oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, is a form of muscular dystrophy characterized in some stages by deformation of the eyelid, speech impediment, and difficulty swallowing due to dystrophia of the pharynx. ...

1. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
2. Infantile spinal muscular atrophy
3. Juvenile, Intermediate, and Adult spinal muscular atrophy
4. Spinal bulbar muscular atrophy
5. Dermatomyositis
6. Polymyositis
7. Inclusion body myositis
8. Myasthenia gravis
9. Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
10. Congenital myasthenic syndrome
11. Hyperthyroid myopathy
12. Hypothyroid myopathy
13. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
14. Friedreich's ataxia
15. Dejerine-Sottas disease
16. Myotonia congenita, both Thomsen's and Becker's Disease
17. Paramyotonia congenita
18. Central core disease
19. Nemaline myopathy
20. Myotubular myopathy
21. Periodic paralysis, both Hypokalemic and Hyperkalemic
22. Mitochondrial myopathy, a mitochondrial disease

It also targets muscle diseases due to deficiencies in carnitine and the following enzymes: Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a term used to cover a number of illnesses of the motor neurone. ... Introduction Spinal Muscular Atrophies (SMA) are inherited disorders. ... X-Ray of the knee in a patient with dermatomyositis. ... Polymyositis A type of Inflammatory Myopathy, related to Dermatomyositis and Inclusion body myositis. ... Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory muscle disease characterized by slowly progressive wasting and weakness of upper extremities. ... Myasthenia gravis (MG, Latin: grave muscle weakness) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating weakness and fatiguability. ... Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a rare disorder of nerve-muscle (neuromuscular) junction. ... The foot of a person with Charcot-Marie-Tooth. ... Friedreichs ataxia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in Gene X25 that codes for frataxin, located on chromosome 9. ... Nemaline myopathy (also called rod myopathy or nemaline rod myopathy) is a congenital, hereditary muscular disease typified by small rods evident in muscle cells. ... Mitochondrial diseases are a group of disorders relating to the mitochondria, the organelles that are the powerhouses of the eukaryotic cells that comprise higher-order lifeforms (including humans). ... Categories: Amino acids | Biochemistry stubs ... Ribbon diagram of the catalytically perfect enzyme TIM. Factor D enzyme crystal prevents the immune system from inappropriately running out of control. ...

1. Phosphorylase
2. Acid Maltase (Pompe's disease)
3. Phosphofructokinase
4. Debrancher enzyme (also known as Amylo-1,6-glucosidase); a glycogen storage disease also known as Forbes disease
5. Carnitine palmityl transferase
6. Phosphoglycerate kinase
7. Phosphoglycerate mutase
8. Lactate dehydrogenase
9. Myoadenylate deaminase

MDA's national headquarters are in Tucson, Arizona. Its most visible fundraising event is the "Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon" held every Labor Day weekend since 1966. An enzyme that catalyzes the production of glucose phosphate from glycogen and inorganic phosphate. ... Pompes disease is a type II glycogen storage disease. ... Phosphofructokinase (PFK) is the most important regulatory enzyme (EC 2. ... Glycogen storage disease is any one of several inborn errors of metabolism that result from enzyme defects that affect the processing of glycogen synthesis or breakdown within muscles, liver, and other cell types. ... Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an enzyme (EC 1. ... Tucson (pronounced ) is a city and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona. ... This article is about the comedian and telethon host; Jerry Lewis is also the name of a U.S. politician. ... A telethon is a fundraising event broadcast on television that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political, or other allegedly worthy cause. ... Labour Day (or Labor Day) is an annual holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ...

Better Business Bureau assessment of MDA

According to a Better Business Bureau summary released in February 2004: The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, is an organization based in the United States and Canada devoted to honest business. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → // February 29, 2004 Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigns as president of Haiti and flees the country for the Central African Republic. ...

• MDA oversees a network of 230 hospital-affiliated clinics providing diagnosis and treatment;
• In 2003, 4500 children and young adults, between the ages of 6 - 21, attended week-long summer camps sponsored by MDA;
• Research and clinical trials on treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease are conducted in 30 MDA/ALS centers;
• MDA has a paid staff of 1353 people;
• Of the $166.5 million donated because of fund-raising activities (mostly its annual telethon), %17 of that was spent on the fund-raising activities themselves.

2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a term used to cover a number of illnesses of the motor neurone. ... A telethon is a fundraising event broadcast on television that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political, or other allegedly worthy cause. ...

External links and sources

• Organization's website
• Wise Giving Alliance report on MDA from the Better Business Bureau