Spinal muscular atrophy is an autosomal recessive disease. The severity of spinal muscular atrophy varies, and is the most common genetic cause of infant death.

The most common form of spinal muscular atrophy is childhood proximal SMA.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease that affects the motor neuron cells in the spinal cord. This would impact the person's ability to walk, eat, or breathe. Anything that is a genetic disease cannot be cured, however the symptoms can be minimized through treatment, surgery and/or medication.

It is unlikely, but some babies with the proper care and a milder form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 1 can recover. Typically infants with SMA do not survive past 2 years of age.

Charles Norris discovered spinal muscular atrophy in 1958. While he was experimenting with lettuce, he noticed than SMN neurons flowing through the vegetable caused loss of motor function, which left the lettuce deformed.