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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research paper
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research paper
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research paper
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Compared to diseases such as cancer or heart disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), affects very few people, only about 20,000-30,000 people in the United States (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013) and 2,500-3,000 in Canada (ALS Canada, 2013). It is responsible for about 2 deaths of every 100,000 people. Yet, ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is relatively well known across the population. Why is this? One of the reasons certainly has to do with the name Lou Gehrig, a famous baseball superstar who had to suddenly retire in 1939 due to ALS and then passed away shortly after. But, another reason ALS is so well known is undoubtedly due to it being an especially devastating disease with horrific effects and no known cure despite years of research. History While recorded reports on symptoms that appear to be Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis date from as far back as 1824, the first description in scientific literature was by a French neurologist named Jean-Marie Charcot. Charcot published his findings on the characteristics of ALS in 1869 (Yale, 2013). But it wasn't until Lou Gehrig's major announcement in 1939 that there was a widespread public recognition of the disease, especially in the Western world. ALS is one of the most common neuromuscular diseases around the world, and people of all races and ethnic backgrounds are affected. On average about one to three out of every 100,000 people develop ALS each year (Kinsley & Siddique, 2013). ALS is usually diagnosed in people between 40 and 60 years of age, but younger and older people can also develop the disease. Men are affected slightly more often than women (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, June 2013) Causes... ... middle of paper ... ...tterson, D.,Figlewicz, D. A., Sapp, P., Hentati,A.,... & Brown, R. H. (1993). Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene are associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nature, 362(6415}, 59-62. Talbot, K. (2011). Familial versus sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-a false dichotomy? Brain 134 {12): 3429-3434.doi: 10.1093/brain/awr296 Valdes, E. G.,& Garbuzova-Davis, S. (2013). Brain and Spinal Cord Trauma as a Risk Factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Mini-Review. Open Journal of Neuroscience, 3(1). http://rossscience.org/o jns/arti cles/2075-9088 -3-4.pdf Wicklund,M. P. (2005}. Amyotrophi c lateral sclerosis: possible role of environmental influences. Neurologic clinics, 23(2), 461-484. Yale School of Medicine. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Retrieved Dec. 4,2013 from http://medicine.yale.edu/neurology/divisions/neuromuscular/als.aspx
It is truly remarkable how Randy Pausch and Morrie Schwartz stories are so similar but yet so different. They both seem to have an outlook on life in a positive way, not sad or demeaning. The only crippling difference is the fact that Morrie was at the age that wasn’t abnormal to be sick and Randy was just dealt the cards for a short life. One of Professor Randy Pausch’s many quotes during The Last Lecture makes a similar point between his experience and Morrie’s when he says, “…it’s hard to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer – people who get it don’t live long enough.” ALS is such a rehabilitating disease that scientist have issues pinpointing the causes to even get close to a cure, which didn’t hinder either of their strive to keep going as far as they could.
Lou Gehrig was one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. He was blessed with an amazing career playing for the New York Yankees setting many major league records such as 2,130 consecutive games from 1925 to 1939. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and on July 4, 1939 Gehrig stood before his devoted fans at Yankee Stadium and announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The man that was known to everyone as the “Pride of the Yankees”, on this very day, showed how courageous he was by giving a passionate speech to his fans that was filled with sarcasm, emotion, and pride.
Percy, A. K. (1999). Inherited neurodegenerative disease: The evolution of our thinking. Journal of Child Neurology, 14(4), 256-62. Retrieved from
Dr. Bennet Omalu founder of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a highly respected and renowned physician in medical communities around the world with high-level credentials to support his many accolades. Accordingly, Dr. Omalu’s achievements resulted in him becoming a Board Certified Physician Executive, which means that he has attained prominence in the medical community by surpassing the level of expertise in his field (UCDH 2-4). In 2005, Dr. Omalu caused disruption in the National Football League (NFL) with his research linking repetitive head trauma to Neuro-degenerative disease (Omalu, Hamilton et al 40). The medical term Neuro-degenerative covers a wide-range of medical conditions that affects the nerve cells in the brain,
There is no cure for ALS at this time and treatment is focused on management of the symptoms, involving a combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech, respiratory, and nutritional therapies. Moderate exercise may help maintain muscle strength and function. Drugs can also treat excessive saliva and drooling, and speech therapy can help compensate for loss of muscular control of the mouth. As the disease progresses and muscular degeneration spreads throughout the body, various devices may provide support, such as ankle braces, neck collars, reclining chairs, wheelchairs, and hospital beds. Respiratory support and feeding tubes are required when the person loses cont...
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS, is a disease that can alter the daily life of a human in monumental and unending ways. In one of her articles about ALS, Caroline Ingre (2015) states that the disease is a “fatal neurodegenerative disorder” and further supports this by noting how the disease is marked by the degeneration in motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord (p. 181). This basically means that
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was not brought to International or national attention until Famous New York Yankees baseball player, Lou Gehrig, was diagnosed with it in 1939. Jon Stone, the writer and creator of Sesame Street, was also diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is very deadly and it physically handicaps a person as it progresses. There are two types of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Sporadic and Familial. Sporadic is the most common cause in some cases and Familial is inherited, which is rare. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is one of the most aggressive muscular atrophy disorders, it has many signs and symptoms, and it can be treated but cannot be cured.
Neurodegeneration is used mainly for diseases that are characterised by progressive loss of structure and function of neurons. There are many neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that...
In this essay, the disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) will be reviewed. This piece of work will lay emphasis on the pathophysiological, psychosocial, economic and cognitive effects it has on the individual, family and society. It will also make mention of how a professional nurse would support the individual, the family/carer, the nursing process and the professional role of the nurse according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code of conduct which sets a standard for all nurses and midwives (NMC, 2008) . It has been chosen because this chronic disorder is quite prevalent in the UK.
Where and how this deadly disease originated is unknown, but it was first identified in 1869, by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. ALS is not contagious, but research is still vague on the cause of the disease. Today, there are three recognized forms of ALS: genetic, sporadic, and Guamanian. The genetic form of ALS appears to be inherited or passed down within a family, and about ten percent of ALS patients have a family history of the disease. An abnormal gene has been located in about half these families, but the cause of the remaining half is still unknown. The next, most common form, is sporadic ALS. These patients have no family history of disease, and the cause of their coming down with ALS is a mystery. Finally, is Guamanian ALS, called this because a high percentage of cases occur in the Pacific Islands near Guam.
Imagine if you loss control of your body but your mind stayed unaffected. You would be a prisoner in your own body, all leading up to your death sentence. That is the sad fate for the people diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder was first described by Ran in 1850. This description was then expanded in 1873 by Charcot, who emphasized the involvement of the corticospinal tracts. In the United States, ALS is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous ball player who was stricken by the disease in the midst of his career. (Yale School of Medicine, 2014)” In this paper will go through the definition, the process, the signs, the risk factors, etiology, and discus the known people that have suffered with this terminal disease.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ASL), Lou Gehrig’s disease, a brutal, unforgiving illness of the neurological system with no known cure.
Over 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries are reported each year. According to reports the leading cause of brain injuries are from falls followed by motor vehicle accidents, and accidents that were a result of being struck by something. Falls account for 32.5% of traumatic brain injuries in the United States. 50% of all child brain injuries are from falling. 61 % of all traumatic brain injuries among adults are 65 years old or older. Traumatic brain injuries are very violent blows or jolts to the head or body that result in the penetration of the skull. Mild traumatic brain injuries can cause brief dysfunction of the brain cells. Serious brain injuries can cause bleeding, bruising, physical damage to other parts of the body and torn tissues. Brain injuries are more prevalent with males rather than females. Causes of brain injuries include:
This is a neurodegenerative disease, meaning it results in progressive loss or death of neurons. It often starts off with effecting simple motor skills like writing and holding things, after a few months usually patients start losing the ability to walk, talk, or move any of their limbs. Although the brain trauma is what causes it, ALS has little-no-effect on the brain. This fatal disease is typically diagnosed around age 60 and most patients are given about 3-5 years to live after being diagnosed. It has been found that 10% of cases are shown as genetic. It was brought to attention that athletes were beginning to get diagnosed with ALS at a younger age than most. After extensive research in the early 2000’s, Brain Analyst, Dr. Mckee ran tests and finally came to the conclusion that the toxic proteins in the brains of ALS patients were coming from repeated blows to the head. It was then made evident why so many athletes in contact sports such as football, soccer, boxing, etc… were being diagnosed at such a young age and more frequently than
Yanagawa, Y., & Miyawaki, H. (2012). Importance of checking prehospital neurological findings to reveal incidence of spinal cord concussion. Spinal Cord, 50, 278-280. doi:10.1038/sc.2011.151