Conditions Charcot-Marie-Tooth

Charcot-Marie-Tooth

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a group of conditions that damage the peripheral nerves which relay sensory information and control muscles. It’s caused by an inherited fault in one of the genes responsible for the development of the body’s peripheral nerves. Symptoms can include muscle weakness in the feet, ankles, legs and hands and an awkward gait. CMT is also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) or peroneal muscular atrophy (PMA).

CMT is estimated to affect 1 in 2,500 people and is considered to be the most common inherited neurological condition in the world. CMT damages the peripheral nerves which are responsible for passing on commands from the brain to the muscles and relaying information to the brain about sensations, like pain, heat and balance.

People with the CMT gene can develop no symptoms at all or develop symptoms later in life.