Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating disease that viciously damages and destroys nerve cells and results in disability. The disease causes nerve cells to gradually atrophy and die. The first signs of symptoms for ALS include slurred speech, twitching of muscles, and weakness in a limb. It eventually disturbs the muscles needed to breath, eat, speak, and move. The disease is classified in with a larger group of disorders established as motor neuron diseases. These diseases generate gradual degeneration and death of motor neurons. Specifically, in ALS the neurons stop sending messages to the muscles due to the motor neurons dying or degenerating. The muscles will then abate, fasciculate, and atrophy. Over time, the brain will no longer be able to inaugurate and regulate voluntary movements. Typically, anywhere from 3 to 5 years from the first sign of symptoms a person with ALS will die from respiratory failure. Currently there is no cure for ALS. …show more content…
ALS will eventually spread to other parts of the body, but will most often start in the feet, hands, or limbs. Muscles will progressively atrophy as the disease advances. ALS doesn’t typically affect thinking ability, bowel or bladder control, or senses. In some ALS cases the disease is hereditary, while the others remain with no known cause. Researchers are also looking into protein mishandling, chemical imbalances, gene mutation, and disorganized immune responses. Research is also being done into cellular defects, stem cells, family versus sporadic ALS, biomarkers, and new treatment

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - Muscular Atrophy: an Annotated Bibliography Essay examples

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - Muscular Atrophy: An Annotated Bibliography Abramovitz, Melissa. "Lou Gehrig's Disease" p17-61. Treatment for ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease has found that Vitamin E and the drug known as Riluzole can help the progression of the disease. When taking the medication Riluzole it has shown to prolong survival in patients by two to three months and it has also delayed the use for breathing support. There is a few side effects to taking Riluzole, such as headache, dizziness…

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Paper Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis “I nominate you to the ice bucket challenge!” These are words spoken by thousands of people all over Facebook. Up until recently many people had only heard about it or maybe even been nominated, but do not know what it is. There is little known about this disease, but It is important to learn about this disease whether you are nominated or not, because you will find out some valuable information about what ALS is…

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Genetic Disorders Essay example

passed down from generation to generation and they are found in chromosomes. The name of my disorder is called Lou Gehrig’s Disease also know as (ALS) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It is named Lou Gehrig’s disease because he was the first person to get diagnosed with it. Another name it is called by is ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The first person to discover this disease was a lady name Jean-Martin Charcot in 1869. Close to 5,000 people diagnosed with it each year. Nobody knows…

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gerhig’s disease and Charcot disease, is a disorder that involves the death of neurons. ALS is characterized by stiff muscles, the twitching of muscles and gradually worsening weakness due to muscle deterioration. This results difficulty of speaking, swallowing…

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Annotated Bibliography

sign up early! - Assignment Topics and References Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with intramuscular interferon Comi G, De Stefano N, Freedman MS, Barkhof F, Polman CH, Uitdehaag BMJ, Casset-Semanaz F, Hennessy B, Moraga MS, Rocak S, Stubinski B and Kappos L. Comparison of two dosing frequencies of subcutaneous interferon beta-1a in patients with a first clinical demyelinating event suggestive of multiple sclerosis (REFLEX): a phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Lancet Neurol 11: 33–41…

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Essay about ALS power point

ALS By: Ryan Innes Period 6 What is ALS? O ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease. O ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which affects the neurons responsible for the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement. O ALS affects voluntary muscle movement. Voluntary/Involuntary O Voluntary- Acting of one’s own free will (something that you can control)  Ex: picking up a pencil O Involuntary- Done without will or conscious…

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Death and Dying Essay example

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Paper

The topic I have chosen to do for this month’s essay on is Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. This is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. A motor neuron goes from the brain to the spinal cord then to the muscles throughout the body. This progressive degeneration eventually leads to death. This disease affects the ability for the brain to communicate and control muscle and muscle movement is lost. A patient in the…

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Motor Neuron Model

number of different forms of the disease, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Progressive Muscular Atrophy and Progressive Bulbar Palsy (Bromberg 2015). These conditions have characteristics of overall muscle weakness with either lower motor signs such as, decreased reflexes and atrophy or upper motor neuron signs including, increased reflexes and spasticity (Reeves and Swenson, 2008). Yet, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is the only…

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