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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS):
ALS is a disease also known as the Lou Gehrig Disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is a progressive degeneration of motor neurons that most often leads to death. This affects all parts of the body because when motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Patients with later stages of this disease may become completely paralyzed. According to US studies 5,600 people are affected by ALS each year
Causes:
There has not been any clear cause of why ALS occurs but there are a few theories of the cause researches are studying:
ALS most often begins in your hands, feet, or limbs and then spreads to other parts of the body. As the diseases progresses muscles become weaker affecting chewing, swallowing, speaking and breathing. Symptoms include:
ALS is a disease also known as the Lou Gehrig Disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is a progressive degeneration of motor neurons that most often leads to death. This affects all parts of the body because when motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Patients with later stages of this disease may become completely paralyzed. According to US studies 5,600 people are affected by ALS each year
Causes:
There has not been any clear cause of why ALS occurs but there are a few theories of the cause researches are studying:
- Gene Mutation: Various genetic mutations usually lead to ALS
- Chemical Imbalance: People with high levels of glutamate (chemical messenger in the brain around nerve cells and their spinal fluid) having too much can be toxic to nerve cells
- Disorganized Immune Response: When a persons immune system attacks some of his/her bodes own normal cells, which lead to the possibility of dead nerve cells
ALS most often begins in your hands, feet, or limbs and then spreads to other parts of the body. As the diseases progresses muscles become weaker affecting chewing, swallowing, speaking and breathing. Symptoms include:
- Difficulty walking or doing your normal daily routine
- Weakness in your led, feet, or ankles
- Muscle cramps and twitting in your arms and shoulders and tongue
- Slurring speech or trouble swallowing
- Hand weakness or clumsiness
- Heredity: 5%-10% inherit ALS
- If you are between he age of 40-60 but still can occur randomly at any age
- Sex: More men then women develop ALS
- Environmental Factors: Smoking increases a person's risk of ALS to almost twice the chance
- ALS is named after Lou Gehrig, the beloved baseball player who brought international and national attention to ALS
- Others affected by ALS: NBA Hall of Fame basketball player George Yardley, creator of Sesame Street Jon Stone, former vice president of the United States Henry A. Wallace and U.S. Army General Maxwell Taylor.
- Because of a campign that started through social media, "Ice Bucket Challenge" made over $100 milliion dollars in donations
Watch the following video for a glimpse of ALS: http://youtu.be/h07OT8p8Oik