Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Essay

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Essay

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” is a progressive motor neuron disease (MND) that attacks cells in the brain (nerves) and those of spinal region(cord), damaging both upper and lower motor neurons(Rachele, 1998). Motor neurons in the brain moves towards the spinal region and the same time from the spinal cord and invades the muscles in the whole the body (Cornblath, 1993). When the neurons (motor) die, the brain’s ability to initiate and control the movement of muscle is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease might become totally paralyzed. Yet, through it all, the vast majority of people maintain sharp, unaffected minds. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Essay

A myo strophic is a Greek language. “A” means no,  “Myo” refers to muscle as  “Trophic” means nourishment. Literally, the word stands for “without muscle sustenance.” When a muscle has no nourishment, it “atrophies”. “Lateral” identifies the areas in a spinal cord where nerve cells portions that control and gives signals to the muscles (Corcia, 2003). As the region degenerates it leads to scarring (“sclerosis”) in the place.