Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), caused by a deficiency of the survival motor neuron‐1 (SMN‐1) protein, is a severe neuromuscular disorder characterised by muscle atrophy and loss of motor function (D'Amico et al, 2011); interestingly, SMN‐1‐deficient myoblasts display reduced motility. The gene discussed is SMN1; the disease is proximal spinal muscular atrophy.