Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)
Joseph Scott
What is Lou Gehrig's Disease?
Lou Gehrig's Disease, or ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a neurodegenerative disease that progressively affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. It causes damage to motor neurons that allow the brain to initiate control of muscle movement.
Who Has it?
ALS usually affects those from ages 40-70. For unknown reasons, military veterans are twice as likely to fall victim to the disease. The above graph displays the prevalence of ALS per 100,000 in The United States. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 people will have the disease at a given time.
Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig (after whom the disease is named) played 17 seasons of Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. As his stats began to decrease and his performance worsened, he went for testing at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where he was diagnosed with ALS. He rejoined the Yankees, until he retired in 1939. He died in 19 41, at the age of 37.
George Yardley
George Yardley was an NBA basketball player for seven years. He retired at the age of 31, but made a comeback shortly after with the Los Angeles Jets from 1961-1962. He died of Lou Gehrig's Disease in 2004 at the age of 75.
Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States. He was a liberal, and a supporter of the New Deal and desegregation. He began to experience the onset of ALS in 1964, and died in 1965, at the age of 77.
Symptoms
ALS can cause different symptoms in different people, and the time it takes for the affects to become apparent. Victims may experience fatigue, paralysis, and breathing problems. These symptoms vary in intensity in different people. For example, some people may need permanent ventilatory support, and some may have trouble walking. Others may experience muscle cramps and twitches, or uncontrollable instances of laughing or crying.
This is an ALS victim.
This ALS victim requires breathing support.
This ALS victim, Stephen Hawking, requires a wheelchair.
How is it Caught?
Motor neurons are cells that are vital for allowing the brain to control body movements. They help the brain send signals to muscles to allow them to function. The mutant protein, cooper-zinc superoxide dismutase, causes the motor neurons to become defective. It is caused by faulty genes, so it could be a substitution or frameshift mutation.
There are two types of ALS: sporadic and familial. Sporadic is 90-95% of all cases, and it can be caught by anyone. Familial, on the other hand, takes up only 5-10% of cases. Familial ALS is hereditary. Below is an image of a karyotype of someone with ALS. Familial ALS is most often a dominant trait.
Diagnosis
There is no one test or procedure that can ultimately confirm the diagnosis of ALS. Some of the diagnostic procedures include electrodiagnostic tests (electomyography, nerve conduction velocity), studies of a patient's blood and urine (to search for thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels), spinal taps, X-rays (including MRI scans), a myelogram of the cervical spine, muscle and/or nerve biopsy, and a thorough neurological examination. These tests are conducted at the discretion of a physician, and each test may be based on results form a previous test.
Treatment
There is no cure or reversal for ALS, so treatment focuses on slowing the progress of symptoms and preventing complications. Many victims require a wide array of treatment from various doctors and physicians. Treatment commonly includes physical and mental therapy, allowing patients to be supported by other victims and attempt to regain control over their bodies. The only medication approved by the FDA is riluzole, which slows the disease in some people. Doctors may also prescribe medication for cramps, spasms, constipation, fatigue, and other side effects of ALS. There are certain organizations that push for certain method of treatment, usually including encouraging doctors to look for more ways to treat carriers of ALS, and more interactive treatment of victims of the disease. Overall, there is little major controversy surrounding the ethics of the treatment.
Bibliography
"Scientific Program of the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY."Neurology 21.4 (1971): 392. Web.
"Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis." (ALS) Treatments and Drugs. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
"The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter | New York | New Jersey."The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.