Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS
also known as - answer-Charcot's disease
Lou Gehrig's disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS is an - answer-incurable fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, resulting in paralysis. It is characterized by rapid deteriorati...
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS
also known as - answer-Charcot's disease
Lou Gehrig's disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS is an - answer-incurable fatal neuromuscular disease
characterized by progressive muscle weakness, resulting in paralysis. It is characterized by rapid
deterioration and the selective death of motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and
spinal cord
Motor neurons, which control the movement of voluntary muscles, deteriorate and eventually
die. When the motor neurons die, the brain can no longer - answer-initiate and control muscle
movement. Because muscles no longer receive the messages they need in order to function, they
gradually weaken and deteriorate.
ALS - connection between muscle and - answer-CNS is blocked
muscle begins to atrophy
ALS patients retain full - answer-intellectual capacity and intelligence
However, approximately 15% will develop dementia
Early stages of the disease involve surviving motor neurons "sprouting" - answer-new branches
(similar to cardiac collateral flow!!) to reinnervate affected muscle fibers in an attempt to
preserve muscle strength. However, as the disease progresses the reinnervation fails.
ALS causes (unknown) or - answer-excess of a neurotransmitter called glutamate builds up in the
synapse causing eventual nerve cell death and subsequent muscle atrophy of the muscle attached
to that nerve
-or autoimmune problem
ALS hereditary - answer-10% FALS (familial ALS)
In familial ALS, the disease is autosomal ______: if a parent has ALS the offspring have______
a chance of inheriting the gene, not all people with ALS gene will develop the disease. - answer-
dominant
50%
Environmental factors contributing to ALS - answer-smoking
exposure to agricultural chemicals and
solvents
[Type here]
, 1
1
Who gets ALS - answer-all races
Men
40-70 yrs of age (avg 55-65 yrs)
ethical issues involving passing disease - answer-onto children. May not even know you have it
til after family is started
% of ALS clients that die within ____ months of diagnosis - answer-50
18
___ % survive 5 years - answer-20
___ % live longer than 10 years - answer-10
_____ dependent ALS clients may live for many years - answer-ventilator
Early symptoms of ALS - answer-Fasciculations (twitching) of the face
Dysarthria (slurred speech) (80% of pts)
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Limb weakness ( 65%)
• Symptoms of ____ may not be evident until about 80% of the motor neurons are lost
• Defective articulation
• Slow laborious speech
• Imprecise consonant production
• Marked hypernasality - answer-dysarthria
________ in about 65% of patients: foot drop, difficulty walking , loss of hand dexterity or
shoulder weakness - answer-• Limb weakness
symptoms of ALS - answer-tripping, stumbling, falling
lose muscle control/strength n hands/arms
difficulty breathing
chronic fatigue
muscle twitching/cramping
common progression - - answer-difficulty walking,cane-walker-wchr
lose ability to write, type, feed self
difficulty speaking/swallowing
-----may need feeding tube----
decrease in lung capacity (<50%=vent)
progression can be 6 yrs or many yrs
Diagnosis of ALS - answer--History
[Type here]
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