Hereditary spastic paraplegia
Overview
Hereditary spastic paraplegia is a general term for a group of rare inherited disorders that cause weakness and stiffness in the leg muscles. Symptoms gradually get worse over time.
Symptoms
The severity and progression of symptoms will vary from person to person. About 90% of people with hereditary spastic paraplegia have what's known as a "pure form" of the condition. This means their symptoms are mainly confined to lower limb weakness and involuntary spasms and muscle stiffness (spasticity). The remaining 10% have a complicated or complex form of the condition. This means they have other symptoms in addition to the muscle weakness and spasticity. They may have a wide range of symptoms.
Causes
Most people with pure hereditary spastic paraplegia will have inherited a faulty gene from 1 of their parents. People with the complicated form of the condition will have usually inherited a faulty gene from both parents. The gene abnormality causes the long nerves in the spine to deteriorate. These nerves normally control muscle tone and movement in the lower body.