ALS by Abdullah Shahzad https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a en-us 2017-02-19 00:14:25 UTC 2024-06-08 05:19:17 UTC hello@padlet.com Intro 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154766990 ALS disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease amyotrophic laterals sclerosis.
ALS was first found in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, but it wasn't until 1939 that Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease.
ALS, is a disease in which certain nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord slowly die. These nerve cells are called motor neurons, and they control the muscles that allow you to move the parts of your body.
About 5 to 10 percent of ALS is familial — meaning it arises in families in which there is a history of ALS. Several genes associated with ALS have been identified or at least mapped to a specific region of a chromosome.The other 90 to 95 percent of ALS is sporadic, meaning it occurs without a family history. There appears to be genetic variations that influence one's susceptibility to sporadic ALS, even if they don't actually cause the disease by themselves.

]]> 2017-02-19 00:17:28 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154766990 Familial/sporadic spread 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154812891 Mutations in the SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1) gene account for about 20 percent of familial ALS and also perhaps 1 to 3 percent of sporadic ALS. SOD1 was the first gene found to be associated with familial ALS, and a mouse model of SOD1-associated ALS is widely used in research today. 
Mutations in the gene for the TDP43 protein have been found to be a cause of a small percentage of familial ALS. In 2009, scientists determined that mutations in the FUS gene also account for some cases of familial ALS.
Mutations in the gene for the ubiquilin 2 protein have been  identified as a cause of familial ALS. And at around the same time, a mutation in the C9ORF72 gene involving an expansion of repeated DNA sequences was found to account for more ALS cases than any previously identified genetic abnormality.
Most cases are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.
  • Someone with autosomal dominant FALS has one copy of the gene with a mutation and one copy of the gene without a mutation. A child born to someone with FALS has a 50% chance of inheriting the FALS gene mutation and a 50% chance of inheriting the gene without the mutation. 


]]> 2017-02-19 18:19:35 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154812891 *In more than nine out of every 10 cases diagnosed, no clear identifying cause of the disease is apparent, that is, patients lack an obvious genetic history, complete with affected family members. Meaning the disease is caused by some sort of genetic variations. 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813160 2017-02-19 18:24:14 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813160 Description of ALS 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813491
  • The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied in different people. One person may have trouble grasping a pen or lifting a coffee cup, while another person may experience a change in vocal pitch when speaking. ALS is typically a disease that involves a gradual onset.The rate at which ALS progresses can be quite variable from one person to another. ALS is 20% more common in men than in women. However with increasing age, the incidence of ALS is more equal between men and women. Military veterans are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS.Although the mean survival time with ALS is three to five years, many people live five, 10 or more years. 
  • Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing or in the hands, arms, legs or feet. Not all people with ALS experience the same symptoms or the same sequences or patterns of progression. However, progressive muscle weakness and paralysis are universally experienced. 
  • Gradual onset, painless, progressive muscle weakness is the most common initial symptom in ALS. Other early symptoms vary but can include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches, and/or uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying. When the breathing muscles become affected, ultimately, people with the disease will need permanent ventilatory support to assist with breathing. Since ALS attacks only motor neurons, the sense of sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell are not affected. For many people, muscles of the eyes and bladder are generally not affected.

    • ]]>     2017-02-19 18:29:25 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813491     Detection 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813850 ALS is a difficult disease to diagnose. There is no one test or procedure to ultimately establish the diagnosis of ALS. It is through a clinical examination and series of diagnostic tests, that include:
    • Electrodiagnostic tests including electomyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV)
    • Blood and urine studies including high resolution serum protein electrophoresis, thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels and 24-hour urine collection for heavy metals
    • Spinal tap
    • X-rays, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    • Myelogram of cervical spine
    • Muscle and/or nerve biopsy
    • A thorough neurological examination
    These tests are done at the discretion of the physician, usually based on the results of other diagnostic tests and the physical examination.
    ]]>     2017-02-19 18:34:49 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154813850     Treatment 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154814431 Riluzole, is the drug approved for ALS, was approved by the FDA in late 1995. This drug was shown scientifically to prolong the life of persons with ALS by at least a few months. There is no cue for the disease, but physical therapy,  Glutamate blocker and Muscle relaxant drugs can help reduce discomfort.]]> 2017-02-19 18:44:19 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154814431 Bibliography 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154814968
  • "Lou Gehrig." ALSA.org. ALS.org, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
  • "ALS: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - Causes/Inheritance." Muscular Dystrophy Association. N.p., 10 Jan. 2016. Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
  • McIntosh, James. "ALS: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
    • ]]>     2017-02-19 18:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154814968     Famous case- Lou Gehrig 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154815003 In 1938, Gehrig began having difficulty with tying his shoelaces and maintaining his winning streak on the ball field. The following year, he visited the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where doctors diagnosed him with ALS. Gehrig decided to retire from the Yankees that year. Gehrig made what is known as sports’ most famous speech , in which he called himself the “Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth.” People refer to ALS as Lou Gehrigs disease because he was the one that brought national attention to the disease for the first time.]]> 2017-02-19 18:53:36 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154815003 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154815923 2017-02-19 19:05:09 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154815923 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816239 2017-02-19 19:07:57 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816239 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816296 2017-02-19 19:08:56 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816296 10059221 https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816653 2017-02-19 19:15:09 UTC https://padlet.com/10059221/5wksnfcxhv0a/wish/154816653