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MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference starts on March 16

Note: This story has been updated March 6, 2025, to correct a quote from Mindy Henderson, MDA vice president of disability outreach and empowerment. The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is once again hosting its annual gathering, the MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference. The 2025 event will take place…

3D-printed ankle braces may help with balance, foot pain: Study

The use of 3D-printed, customized ankle braces may improve balance and reduce foot pain in people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, according to a recent pilot study in New Zealand. Although patients reported variable levels of comfort and satisfaction, they generally said the braces were moderately comfortable, and were moderately…

Children with CMT should be screened for hip dysplasia: Study

A team of U.S. researchers is calling for routine screening for hip dysplasia — when the bones in the hip joint don’t fit together correctly, causing instability — among children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), after their work revealed it to be a common but underrecognized problem in young people…

Endgame campaign surpasses $10M raised for CMT1A treatments

The CMT Research Foundation (CMTRF) has raised more than its $10 million goal for the Endgame campaign to support research toward treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A). The foundation announced the results at the annual Global CMT Research Convention, which took place Sept. 26-28 in…

Cochlear implants for CMT may improve hearing, quality of life

Cochlear implants are a safe and reliable way to improve hearing, speech, and quality of life for people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), according to a case series. This study provides “more evidence supporting the potential benefit of cochlear implantation among CMT patients,” researchers wrote. “The present analysis is also…

CMT1A gene defect disrupts cells crucial for nerve health, study says

Duplication of the PMP22 gene, the underlying cause of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A), disrupts the development of Schwann cells essential to the myelin sheath that protects nerve cells, a study in mouse models and cells derived from patients reports. Specifically, the gene’s duplication dysregulates fat-like lipid metabolism, storage,…