Click here to download the Kennedy's Disease Factsheet in PDF format.

Kennedy's disease is an inherited disorder affecting adult males, which causes slowly progressive weakness and wasting of muscles. It was first described in 1968 by Dr William R Kennedy and his co-workers. The genetic mutation that causes the condition was identified in 1991 by La Spada and others. Although it is a disorder of motor neurones, it is not Motor Neurone Disease, as it is usually much more benign.

• What Are The Symptoms?
• Is It Hereditary and What Causes It?
• How Is It Diagnosed?
• Is There Any Treatment?
• Reference and Disclaimer.
• Download the Kennedy's Disease Factsheet.

Symptoms generally begin to be noticed at about 40 or 50 years of age, although cases from the ages of 15 up to 59 have been described.

Kennedy's disease is inherited, and is passed on from mother to son, by an X-linked genetic mutation.

Kennedy's disease is caused by a mutation of the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene.

Kennedy's disease can be diagnosed by genetic testing using a sample of whole blood.

There is as yet no treatment to cure Kennedy's disease or to stop its progression. The severity and course of the disease cannot be predicted, but in most cases, progression is extremely slow, and life expectancy is normal.

Choi WT, Zajac JD et al. Kennedy's Disease: genetic diagnosis of an inherited form of motor neurone disease. Aust NZ J Med 1993; 23.

Kennedy's Disease - Pattern Of Inheritance

When a baby is conceived, each parent passes on one copy of each of their genes to the baby. Therefore the baby is a "mixture" of the genetic information of each of his/her parents.

Click here to download the Kennedy's Disease Factsheet in PDF format.