Inflammatory Myopathies

Jason Peck’s memory of his childhood has some missing images: running, jumping, swinging, and sliding into home.

Although Peck, who received a dermatomyositis diagnosis at age 4, missed out on playing ball in the backyard with his buddies, he discovered early on that he had a talent his speedy friends didn’t — the ability to draw rather well. And he’s never looked back.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has awarded 40 research grants totaling $13.7 million to advance the understanding of disease processes and uncover new strategies for treatments and cures of muscular dystrophy and the more than 40 other diseases in the Association's program.

The new grants were recommended by MDA's Scientific and Medical Advisory Committees and approved by MDA's Board of Directors at its July 2011 meeting.

Researchers at the Psychology of Disability Lab at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are exploring the social identity of people with disabilities through a short, anonymous, Web-based questionnaire.

The lab's Disability Identity Project is being headed by principal investigator Adena Rottenstein, a doctoral candidate in psychology.

The study closes the week of Aug. 22, 2011.

Below are brief reports and links to more information about neuromuscular disease research presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), held in Honolulu April 9-16, 2011.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has awarded 44 grants totaling $13.5 million to support research efforts aimed at advancing understanding of disease processes and uncovering new strategies for treatments and cures of muscular dystrophy and the more than 40 other diseases in the Association’s program.

The new grants were reviewed by MDA’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Committees, and approved by MDA’s Board of Directors at its December meeting.

A multinational study group, using cutting-edge "exome sequencing" technology, has uncovered five mutations in the valosin-containing protein (VCP) gene and implicated them as molecular causes of some familial forms of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).

People with genetic neuromuscular diseases who want to “do something for science” now have a way to do so, although they’re unlikely to ever know the results of their good deed.

With approximately 54 million Americans living with disabilities, exploring and understanding factors that might facilitate or hinder acceptance of one’s disability may be an important area of research.

But what exactly is the relationship between religious/spiritual attitudes and acceptance or lack of acceptance of disability for people with neuromuscular disorders?

Duchenne muscular dystrophy