Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ, excessive amount of apoptosis of cells, and disuse or lack of exercise or disease intrinsic to the tissue itself. In medical practice, hormonal and nerve inputs that maintain an organ or body part are said to have trophic effects. A diminished muscular trophic condition is designated as atrophy.
Atrophy is the general physiological process of reabsorption and breakdown of tissues, involving apoptosis. When it occurs as a result of disease or loss of trophic support due to other disease, it is termed pathological atrophy, although it can be a part of normal body development and homeostasis as well.
Examples of atrophy as part of normal development include shrinking and the involution of the thymus in early childhood, and the tonsils in adolescence. In old age, effects include, but are not limited to, loss of teeth, hair, thinning of skin that creates wrinkles, weakening of muscles, loss of weight in organs and sluggish mental activity.
Atrophy is a thrash metal band formed in Tucson, Arizona.
Atrophy, originally named Heresy, was formed in 1986 by Chris Lykins, James Gulotta, and Brian Zimmerman. Tim Kelly and Rick Skowron later joined the band.
In 1987, the band produced two cassette demos and were subsequently picked up by thrash metal label, Roadrunner Records. They recorded two albums: Socialized Hate in 1988 and Violent By Nature in 1990. They toured the U.S. and Europe with bands like Sacred Reich, Forced Entry and Coroner. Following the European tour, Lykins left the band. Atrophy was subsequently dropped by their record label.
The band reformed in 2015.
FKT may refer to: