Any of several disorders involving nerves and muscles, especially a hereditary disease marked by a progressive wasting of muscles.
In cases involving the most devastating type of muscular dystrophy, infections or respiratory failure can result in the victim's death before the age of 30.
Dystrophy in its original sense refers to a disorder brought about through faulty nutrition. (The -trophy element in dystrophy comes from the Greek word for "nutrition.") Today dystrophy most often refers to the progressive wasting away of the muscles that is known as muscular dystrophy. Actually, there are several types of muscular dystrophy, the most common of which is Duchenne's, which strikes males almost exclusively. Duchenne's muscular dystrophy occurs in about one out of 3,330 male births.