So to follow up the #icebucketchallenge I did earlier today I thought it would be a good idea to share ten important things about ALS I copied and pasted from around the interwebs that you may not have known. The point of the Ice Bucket Challenge is to spread awareness of a problem that is often not too well known about and oftentimes is brushed under the rug to make room for talks about AIDS, Cancer, Autism, and other much more prevalent medical issues. As good as the Ice bucket challenge is it doesnt really teach you anything about what ALS is, and in all honesty I wouldnt be too shocked if a large proportion of those posting videos of themselves getting buckets of ice dumped onto themselves have no clue why the hell they are doing it but are rather doing it because theyve heard its for a good cause. Its a smart campaign, but if people dont take the time to actually do a bit of research on it or donate money to the cause, all that is accomplished is your newsfeed being spammed with videos of your friends dumping buckets of ice water on their heads. 1. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrigs disease, is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles (muscle action we are able to control, such as those in the arms, legs, and face). The disease belongs to a group of disorders known as motor neuron diseases, which are characterized by the gradual degeneration and death of motor neurons. 2. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time. 3. The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis 4. Symptoms include muscle weakness, cramping, trouble using arms and legs, difficulty in speaking, and difficulty breathing 5. There are three classifications of ALS which are sporadic, familial, and guamanian 6. The cause of ALS is not known, and scientists do not yet know why ALS strikes some people and not others. An important step toward answering this question was made in 1993 when scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) discovered that mutations in the gene that produces the SOD1 enzyme were associated with some cases of familial ALS. Although it is still not clear how mutations in the SOD1 gene lead to motor neuron degeneration, there is increasing evidence that mutant SOD1 protein can become toxic. Since then, over a dozen additional genetic mutations have been identified, many through NINDS-supported research, and each of these gene discoveries has provided new insights into possible mechanisms of ALS. 7. No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug treatment for the disease—riluzole (Rilutek)—in 1995. Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate. Clinical trials with ALS patients showed that riluzole prolongs survival by several months, mainly in those with difficulty swallowing. 8. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the Federal Government’s leading supporter of biomedical research on ALS. 9. The goals of NINDS research are to find the cause or causes of ALS, understand the mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease, and develop effective treatments. 10. ALS commonly strikes people 40 to 60 years old. It affects people of all races and ethnicities, though more often men than women.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 18:23:26 +0000
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