OPPapers.com

Lou Gerhig's Disease

Our nervous system is made up of billions of cells called neutrons. They can be damaged or destroyed by accidents or disorders. As we grow older, many of them wear out. Neutrons, unlike other tissue cells, cannot be replaced, and neuralgia (pain along the path of the nerve). Some problems of the nervous system are caused by functional disorders. Lou Gehrig's along with many others are the result of neuron degeneration.
Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a rare condition caused by death of some of the nerves responsible for moving the muscles. The main symptom is paralysis. The muscles gradually waste away, and movement becomes weak and uncontrolled. The disease may affect muscles controlling speech, swallowing, and breathing as well as those controlling the limbs. In this case the first noticeable symptom is slurred speech.
As yet we do not know what causes this motor neuron disease and there is no cure. It occurs most often in men between 55 and 60. It often begins with the hands and spreads to other parts of the body. Patients may live for five years or more, but become progressively weaker physically, although they may remain mentally normal. Physical therapy is of some help (Marshall 1995).
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens and eventually destroys motor neurons (components of the nervous system that connect the brain with the skeletal muscles). Skeletal muscles are involved with voluntary movements, such as walking and talking. The motor neurons transmit the command to move from the brain to the skeletal muscles, which respond by contracting.
A person with ALS usually presents with problems in dexterity or gait resulting from muscle weakness, or with difficulty speaking or swallowing. Sphincter control, sensory function, intellectual ability, and skin integrity are preserved. Patients become paralyzed and often require ventilation...