Recessive describes a trait that appears only when both inherited copies of the gene carry the same variant. A single recessive copy produces no trait on its own, because the other copy provides enough normal function. This is the opposite of dominant, where one copy is enough. In CMT, a recessive subtype means the associated gene carries two mutations, one from each parent, making the person homozygous for that variant.
A Name That Does Too Much Work
Jean-Martin Charcot's name appears throughout medicine, but nowhere does it create more confusion than in the foot. Learn why the CMT foot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, also known as Charcot foot, share a name yet differ in how they develop, appear, and are managed.
