Muscle MRI: Predicting Functional Deterioration with Becker Muscular Dystrophy

Becker muscular dystrophy is usually associated with a gene situated on the X-chromosome. In other words,the  X-chromosome houses the gene that undergoes the mutation. This condition is normally regarded as X-linked simply because it is usually passed from the parent to the child in an X-linked recessive manner.

A normal male has one X-chromosome. However, they can experience this condition because of one mutated duplicate of mutated gene can actually lead to this ailment. In females, this condition can only occur if a mutation happens in both duplicates of the gene because they have two X chromosomes.

The condition is more common in males because of only one duplicate of the mutated gene is needed to initiate the disease. For the females, this condition is not that common simply because two duplicate of the mutated genes are required to cause the ailment.

When it comes to X-linked inheritance, the males cannot pass the traits associated with X-chromosomes to their sons. This is an important feature of X-linked inheritance because this means that women are often carriers of this mutated gene. 

Females who carry X-linked recessive conditions have a fifty percent risk of passing on the already mutated gene to every child. It is important to remember female carriers rarely show the symptoms and signs of the condition. In rare cases, females with the DMD mutation can have muscle cramping and weaknesses.

Females with DMD mutations experience symptoms of muscle wasting and weaknesses that are less severe as compared to the affected males. Females would also have higher chances of developing heart problems such as dilated cardiomyopathy. Most of the affected males inherit the gene from their mothers, and a small fraction of the individuals suffers from the condition because of mutations in the gene.