A 39-year-old member asked:
What type of genetic disorder is the duchenne muscular dystrophy?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Alisa Nikschanswered
Pediatric Cardiology 23 years experience
"X-Linked recessive": This means that the problem causing this disease is carried on the x chromosome. Women have 2 of these, men just one. If a boy has an x chromosome that has this genetic defect, there is no other dna to "cover" this up and that boy will have the disease. Women have 2 copies of dna, and only can be carriers. Mothers can then pass this problem on to their sons, however.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 47-year-old member asked:
How come duchenne muscular dystrophy considered a genetic disorder?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jay Parkanswered
Pediatrics 51 years experience
Mutated gene in X : Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by an abnormal gene in x chromosome, and is inherited as an x-linked recessive trait.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Mar 29, 2015
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