Infant killer disease breakthrough

Scientists have made a breakthrough in developing treatment for the most common genetic cause of death in children.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have found that infants suffering from a form of motor neurone disease could benefit from drugs to improve their muscle strength.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), also known as floppy baby syndrome, targets the body’s nerve cells – motor neurones – causing patients to have little or no control over their movements. Children with SMA also suffer from unhealthy muscles, but tests carried out by the research team found the damage can be reversed.

Tom Gillingwater, professor of neuroanatomy at the University of Edinburgh, led the study.

He said: “By showing the important role that muscles play in this disease, we can now focus our efforts on trying to block the disease in all affected tissues of the body.”

PAUL WARD