Als :: essays research papers

Medical history has been filled with an vagabond of illnesss and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some ar easily treatable and others ass be terminal, entirely some of the worst ar those that still bear on without a cure one such disease is amyotrophic side(prenominal) sclerosis.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a de ingredientrative disease affecting the human neural system. It is a deadly disease that cripples and kills its victims due to a breakdown in the bodys motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brainstem and spinal cord that control muscle contractions. In ALS, these neurons flat 10 to a point that all movement, including breathing, halts. Muscle weakness first develops in the muscles of body parts distant from the brain, such as the hands, and subsequently spreads through with(predicate) other muscle groups closer to the brain. Such early symptoms as this, however, put up hardly be noticed.Early symptoms of ALS ar e very handsome and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as lighthearted or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the gird and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is wholly taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared. 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 h as been located in about half these families, but the cause of the stay 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. unitary major reason ALS is such a frightening disease is because no cure has been established. Although no effective treatment has been developed, a progeny of drug trials have been conducted, and there are some devices designed to back up ALS patients maintain independence as well as sanctuary as the disease progresses.