What is hereditary neuropathy?

Also known as: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, CMT, progressive neuropathic (peroneal) muscular atrophy, hereditary peroneal muscle dysfunction, neuropathy-peroneal (hereditary), hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.

Hereditary neuropathy is a medical term that refers to a group of different inherited medical conditions that cause progressive loss of function (and sensation) from abnormally working nerves that carry signals from the spinal cord to muscles (peripheral nervous system).

They may be diagnosed at birth or much later in life. The most common form of hereditary neuropathy is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, or CMT.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM