Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a motor neuron type disease. The disease was first discovered in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. Though we have known of this disease and its capabilities for well over a century; there is still information that is unclear. This past decade has been successful for research, giving us new information and optimism for years ahead. New hope is arriving in thoughts that stem cell research and gene therapy will advance our knowledge for a possible cure. ALS is also known as, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Lou Gehrig was a talented and popular professional baseball player. Before being diagnosed with ALS in 1939, Lou Gehrig was known for his abilities at the plate and his longevity. Because of his durability he was coined the nickname “The Iron Horse.” The sad irony to his nickname is that at the age of 36 he unexpectedly retired from baseball due to the diagnosis of ALS. (Pictured Left: Lou Gehrig with Babe Ruth. This is the day that Lou Gehrig gave his speech and officially retired from baseball.) This was the first ALS had earned national recognition. Lou Gehrig died on June 2, 1941, just two years after being diagnosed. He considered himself to be the luckiest man on Earth because of the time he was able to spend playing professional baseball. Underlying Causes of ALS As with many neurological disorders there is no known cause of ALS. When dealing with the brain, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish what exactly is going on. A few possible causes that are currently being looked at are genetics, glutamate, autoimmune responses, and environment. A breakthrough on one of these possibilities would be one for the ages and it would save many lives. When it comes to gen... ... middle of paper ... ...ing the high amounts of glutamate in the spinal fluid. There is now a drug out to defend against that problem. Rilutek is the first effective treatment for people with ALS. Laboratory studies suggest that Rilutek is “neuroprotective” which means it protects nerve cells from damage. So in simpler terms, this drug fights off the high amounts of glutamate in hopes of slowing down ALS. This drug is not a surefire cure for ALS though, and also any abilities lost before taking the drug will not be restored. So far it is just a hope for the future; maybe someday studies and advancements such as this will lead to a cure for ALS. Works Cited The ALS Association, Answers to Questions about Rilutek, http://www.alsa.org/files/cms/Resources/Riluzole2.pdf Arthur Schoenstadt, Causes of ALS, September 17, 2008, http://als.emedtv.com/als/causes-of-als.html

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