What Causes It?

CMT is one of the most common nerve-related disorders inherited through families. Types of this disorder can be caused by problems in at least 40 different genes, the gene that is affected depends on the type of CMT that the individual has. It can also be caused by damage or destruction to the myelin sheath around nerve fibers. (Myelin is an insulating layer that forms around nerves, it is made up of protein and fatty substances. The purpose is to allow impulses to quickly and efficiently transmit along the nerve cell and if it is damaged the impulses slow down.) It can also be caused by mutations in genes that produce proteins involved in the structure and function of either the peripheral nerve axon or the myelin sheath.

(Picture: This is a diagram of what the nerve cell looks like with CMT.)

• http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/charcot_marie_tooth/detail_charcot_marie_tooth.htm