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atrophy

File:Mouse_with_spinal_muscular_atrophy.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

DiseaseQ194520· pop 51· linked from 723 articles

Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ, excessive amount of apoptosis of cells, and disuse or lack of exercise or disease intrinsic to the tissue itself. In medical practice, hormonal and nerve inputs that maintain an organ or body part are said to have trophic effects. A diminished muscular trophic condition is designated as atrophy. Atrophy is reduction in size of cell, or

Key facts

Medical condition (new).name
Atrophy
Medical condition (new).image
Mouse_with_spinal_muscular_atrophy.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption
Mouse (right) with spinal muscular atrophy
Medical condition (new).field
Pathology
Medical condition (new).symptoms
Loss of body cells, signs of ageing
Medical condition (new).types
Muscular atrophy, gland atrophy
Medical condition (new).causes
Poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to target organ(s), excessive apoptosis of cells, insufficient exercise, ageing
Medical condition (new).risks
Old age, sedentary lifestyle
Medical condition (new).prognosis
Depends on the cause

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Research

175,277 papers

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Clinical Trials

4,843 registered

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Wikidata facts

Image
Mouse with spinal muscular atrophy.jpg
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Commons category
Atrophy
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~5 min read

Article

9 sections
Contents
  • Normal development
  • Muscle atrophies
  • Dystrophies, myositis, and motor neuron conditions
  • Gland atrophy
  • Vaginal atrophy
  • Research
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ, excessive amount of apoptosis of cells, and disuse or lack of exercise or disease intrinsic to the tissue itself. In medical practice, hormonal and nerve inputs that maintain an organ or body part are said to have trophic effects. A diminished muscular trophic condition is designated as atrophy. Atrophy is reduction in size of cell, organ or tissue, after attaining its normal mature growth. In contrast, hypoplasia is the reduction in the cellular numbers of an organ, or tissue that has not attained normal maturity.

Atrophy is the general physiological process of reabsorption and breakdown of tissues, involving apoptosis. When it occurs as a result of disease or loss of trophic support because of other diseases, it is termed pathological atrophy, although it can be a part of normal body development and homeostasis as well.

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