dystrophy
n.n. a medical condition where a part of the body, like a muscle or a nerve, becomes weaker or smaller than it should be. It usually happens because of a lack of something important, like a specific protein.
n. a pathological condition characterized by the degeneration or wasting away of a specific tissue or organ. Often used in medical contexts to describe muscular or neurological atrophy.
The doctor diagnosed the patient with muscular dystrophy.
Researchers are working on new treatments to slow the progression of the disease and prevent further dystrophy in the legs.
The patient's symptoms suggested a form of dystrophy that was not previously documented, requiring a comprehensive genetic analysis to identify the underlying cause of the tissue degeneration.
From dys- + -trophy, literally “bad growth”, as in the opposite of growth.