Conditions That Can Cause Hypotonia (Low Muscle Tone)

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

An individual affected by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may have hypotonia as a symptom. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome encompasses a set of inherited connective tissue disorders that mainly affect the joints, skin, and blood vessel walls. Underlying structures in the body get their elasticity and strength from connective tissue or a complex combination of proteins and other substances. The exact mechanism of how hypotonia is caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is not clearly defined, but it is known to be associated with an abnormally low amount of collagen in the body. It is thought the causative mechanism is one that occurs in the muscle sheaths that contain more collagen rather than in the fibers of the muscles. The most abundant protein in the human body is collagen. Tendons, skin, ligaments, and muscles feature collagen as their major component. Collagen is responsible for providing these tissues with strength and proper structure. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients have lower amounts of Type III and Type V collagen, which can result in decreased muscle resistance and hypotonia.

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