About Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1
The New York Center for Rare Diseases supports the mission and guidelines of the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). The following information is provided by the NIH.
Summary
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMT1) is a type of peripheral neuropathy, a condition affecting the transmission of information between the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the rest of the body. The condition is usually slowly progressive. Signs and symptoms include distal muscle weakness and wasting (atrophy); sensory loss; and slow nerve conduction velocity. It is often associated with pes cavus foot deformity (high arch) and bilateral foot drop. Fewer than 5% of people with CMT1 become wheelchair dependent. CMT1 is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
Causes
What Causes This Disease?
Genetic Mutations: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 is caused by genetic mutations, also known as pathogenic variants. Genetic mutations can be hereditary, when parents pass them down to their children, or they may occur randomly when cells are dividing. Genetic mutations may also result from contracted viruses, environmental factors, such as UV radiation from sunlight exposure, or a combination of any of these.
If you suspect you may have this disease, you may want to start collecting your family health history. Information such as other family members who have had similar symptoms, when their/your symptoms first appeared, or exposures to any potential disease-causing environmental factors should be discussed with your medical team.
Can This Disease Be Passed Down From Parent to Child?
Yes. It is possible for a biological parent to pass down genetic mutations that cause or increase the chances of getting this disease to their child. This is known as inheritance. Knowing whether other family members have previously had this disease, also known as family health history, can be very important information for your medical team.
There are multiple ways, or patterns, a disease can be inherited depending on the gene(s) involved. Based on GARD’s current data, this disease can be inherited in the following pattern(s):
Autosomal Dominant: Autosomal means the gene involved is located on one of the numbered chromosomes. Dominant means that a child only needs to inherit one copy of the mutated gene, from either biological parent, to be affected by the disease.
People affected by an autosomal dominant disease have a 50% chance of passing on the mutated gene to their biological child.