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Weakening, wasting away, and decrease in size of a muscle is called:

  1. Atrophy

  2. Contracture

  3. Hypertrophy

  4. Myopathy

The correct answer is: Atrophy

Atrophy refers to the weakening, wasting away, and decrease in size of a muscle. This can occur due to various reasons such as lack of use, nerve damage, or poor nutrition. Contracture is the abnormal shortening of muscle tissue, leading to a reduced range of motion at a joint. Hypertrophy is the increase in size of a muscle due to increased muscle fiber size. Myopathy refers to a disease or abnormal condition of skeletal muscle tissue.