Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy is a disorder characterized by episodes of severe pain and muscle wasting (amyotrophy) in one or both shoulders and arms. Neuralgic pain is felt along the path of one or more nerves and often has no obvious physical cause. The network of nerves involved in hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy, called the brachial plexus, controls movement and sensation in the shoulders and arms.
Mutations in the SEPTIN9 gene cause hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy. The SEPTIN9 gene provides instructions for making a protein called septin-9, which is part of a group of proteins called septins. Septins are involved in a process called cytokinesis, which is the step in cell division when the fluid inside the cell (cytoplasm) divides to form two separate cells.
Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy is a rare disorder, but its specific prevalence is unknown. Approximately 200 families affected by the disorder have been identified worldwide.
This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.
Darryl Sneag is a Radiologist in Uniondale, New York. Sneag has been practicing medicine for over 15 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy. He is also highly rated in 4 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy, Mononeuritis Multiplex, Synovitis, Knee Replacement, and Bone Graft.
Joseph Feinberg is a Physiatrist in New York, New York. Feinberg has been practicing medicine for over 40 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy. He is also highly rated in 5 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy, Brachial Plexopathy, Axillary Nerve Dysfunction, and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Nens Van Alfen practices in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Van Alfen is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy. They are also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy, Brachial Plexopathy, Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome, and Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD).
Published Date: September 01, 2009Published By: National Institutes of Health