Hypotheses and recent findings concerning aetiology and pathogenesis of the muscular dystrophies.

The survey reports recent findings and current hypotheses on the aetiology and pathogenesis of the muscular dystrophies. Briefly presented are (1) biochemical anomalies of structure and metabolism, (2) membrane defects, (3) the neural hypothesis, (4) the vascular hypothesis, and (5) the connective tissue hypothesis. At present, research interest is focused primarily on membrane structure and biochemistry, on neural muscle trophism, and on the genetic aspects of abnormalities in molecular biology. Whether the progressive muscular dystrophies are primary disorders of voluntary muscle or whether the primary alteration is located outside of the muscle still remains unknown.