Amyotrophic Lateral
Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis
Sclerosis
Lou Gehrig disease
Lou Gehrig disease
Amyotrophic Lateral
Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis
Sclerosis
Lou Gehrig disease
Lou Gehrig disease
What is Amyotrophic
What is Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?
Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?
ALS is a
ALS is a
neurodegenerative
neurodegenerative
disease caused by
disease caused by
the degeneration of
the degeneration of
motor neurons that
motor neurons that
are responsible for
are responsible for
involuntary muscle
involuntary muscle
movement, in the
movement, in the
brain and in the
brain and in the
spinal cord.
spinal cord.
Causes/Risk Factors
Causes/Risk Factors
It causes the death of a motor nerve cell that
It causes the death of a motor nerve cell that
transmits messages from the brain to the
transmits messages from the brain to the
muscle
muscle
In about 10% of the cases ALS is caused by a
In about 10% of the cases ALS is caused by a
genetic defect, the other 90% is unknown
genetic defect, the other 90% is unknown
The nerve neurons waste away or die leading
The nerve neurons waste away or die leading
the muscle to weaken , twitch and being
the muscle to weaken , twitch and being
unable to move the arms, legs and body
unable to move the arms, legs and body
As ALS weakens the patient it shuts down the
As ALS weakens the patient it shuts down the
nervous system messages to more and more
nervous system messages to more and more
muscles, particularly the ones that control
muscles, particularly the ones that control
breathing
breathing
Incidence/Prevalence
Incidence/Prevalence
ALS affects approximately 1 of
ALS affects approximately 1 of
every 100,000 people
every 100,000 people
Based on the U.S population
Based on the U.S population
studies a little over 5,600
studies a little over 5,600
people are diagnose with ALS
people are diagnose with ALS
a year, that is 15 new cases a
a year, that is 15 new cases a
day.
day.
The life span of ALS patients is
The life span of ALS patients is
3 to 5 years after they are
3 to 5 years after they are
diagnose
diagnose
ALS is most commonly
ALS is most commonly
diagnosed in middle age
diagnosed in middle age
people and it normally affects
people and it normally affects
men more than it affects
men more than it affects
women
women
ASL
ASL
Normally the
Normally the
muscle tissue is
muscle tissue is
supplied by the
supplied by the
nerves. It all
nerves. It all
happens in the
happens in the
muscle fiber and
muscle fiber and
produce an action
produce an action
potential, allowing
potential, allowing
the muscle to
the muscle to
contract.
contract.
In ALS the motor
In ALS the motor
nerve cells in the
nerve cells in the
anterior horns of
anterior horns of
the spinal cord and
the spinal cord and
in the motor nuclei
in the motor nuclei
of the brain stem
of the brain stem
are lost affecting
are lost affecting
the innervation of
the innervation of
the muscle.
the muscle.
Symptoms
Symptoms
muscle weakness in one
muscle weakness in one
or more of the
or more of the
following: hands, arms,
following: hands, arms,
legs or the muscles of
legs or the muscles of
speech, swallowing or
speech, swallowing or
breathing
breathing
Difficulty swallowing,
Difficulty swallowing,
gags or chokes easily
gags or chokes easily
twitching (fasciculation)
twitching (fasciculation)
and cramping of
and cramping of
muscles, especially
muscles, especially
those in the hands and
those in the hands and
feet
feet
impairment of the use
impairment of the use
of the arms and legs
of the arms and legs
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
ALS is difficult to diagnose because it has
ALS is difficult to diagnose because it has
similar symptoms of other
similar symptoms of other
neuromuscular disorders. It is through
neuromuscular disorders. It is through
clinical examination and many diagnostic
clinical examination and many diagnostic
tests that a diagnosis for ALS can be
tests that a diagnosis for ALS can be
established.
established.
Some of the procedures
Some of the procedures
include:
include:
spinal tap
spinal tap
x-rays, including magnetic
x-rays, including magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI)
resonance imaging (MRI)
myelogram of cervical spine
myelogram of cervical spine
Treatments
Treatments
There is no known cure
There is no known cure
for ALS.
for ALS.
The first drug treatment
The first drug treatment
for the disease is a
for the disease is a
medicine called riluzole.
medicine called riluzole.
The goal of the
The goal of the
treatment is to control
treatment is to control
the symptoms
the symptoms
and
and
maintaining an optimal
maintaining an optimal
quality of life.
quality of life.
Treatment is based on
Treatment is based on
individual therapy and
individual therapy and
the continual adaptation
the continual adaptation
of medications.
of medications.
Preventions
Preventions
There is no known
There is no known
way to prevent
way to prevent
motor neuron
motor neuron
disease or the
disease or the
dementia that goes
dementia that goes
along with it. This
along with it. This
is an area of
is an area of
intense research in
intense research in
motor neuron
motor neuron
diseases.
diseases.
Questions
Questions
1)ALS is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the
1)ALS is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the
degeneration of
degeneration of
A) Stem cells
A) Stem cells
B) motor neurons
B) motor neurons
C) nerves
C) nerves
D) glial cells
D) glial cells
2) The life span of ALS patients is
2) The life span of ALS patients is
A) 3 to 5 years
A) 3 to 5 years
B) 7 days
B) 7 days
C) 20 years
C) 20 years
D) 6 moths
D) 6 moths
3) In about 10% of the cases ALS is caused by
3) In about 10% of the cases ALS is caused by
a________, the other 90% is ________.
a________, the other 90% is ________.
A) Unknown, weakening of the muscle
A) Unknown, weakening of the muscle
B) Unknown, genetic defects
B) Unknown, genetic defects
C) Generic defect, unkown
C) Generic defect, unkown
D) Generic defect, weakening of the muscle
D) Generic defect, weakening of the muscle
4)ALS normally affects
4)ALS normally affects
A) Women
A) Women
B) Children
B) Children
C) Men
C) Men
D) Baby’s
D) Baby’s
Answers: 1)
Answers: 1)
motor neurons 2) 3 to 5 years 3) Generic
motor neurons 2) 3 to 5 years 3) Generic
defect, unkown 4)
defect, unkown 4)
Men
Men
Work Cited
Work Cited
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