Understanding ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) disease.

What is ALS, everybody is joining on a online campaigned called "Ice bucket challenge" aiming to get a donation for ALS foundation, what you do is to throw one bucket of ice with water into your head goes down to your body, this is to feel what person who has a ALS disease has feel and after that you have to nominate two other to do the same or you will donate a 100 dollars for ALS Foundation.

Image from: www.promotingexcellence.org

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost.  As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement.  With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.
 

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/motor+neuron

Most Affected nerve.


The motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle power. Voluntary movement’s means, when you move your hand to reach for the phone or foot to step off a curb; these actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs.

CAUSES:

The cause of ALS is not completely understood, but the
Researchers are studying several possible causes of ALS, including:

• Gene mutation. Various genetic mutations can lead to inherited ALS, which appears nearly identical to the non-inherited form.
• Chemical imbalance. People with ALS generally have higher than normal levels of glutamate, a chemical messenger in the brain, around the nerve cells in their spinal fluid.
• Too much glutamate is known to be toxic to some nerve cells. Disorganized immune response. Sometimes a person's immune system begins attacking some of his or her body's own normal cells, which may lead to the death of nerve cells.
• Protein mishandling. Mishandled proteins within the nerve cells may lead to a gradual accumulation of abnormal forms of these proteins in the cells, eventually causing the nerve cells to die.

Symptoms of ALS include:

• Muscle weakness and wasting (atrophy) in the: Arms and legs Torso Breathing muscles Throat and tongue
• Muscle twitching, cramps, stiffness, and muscles that tire easily
• Slowed speech that becomes progressively harder to understand
• Difficulty breathing and swallowing; choking
• Weight loss because of: Muscle breakdown Poor nutrition caused by problems swallowing
• Sudden involuntary bursts of laughter or crying
• Changes in the way the person walks. Eventually, loss of ability to walk.

Who is at risk factors for ALS?

• Those at Age after 40 years the risk is higher.
• Men are at risk more than women.
• Heredity
• Military experience - studies have shown those with a military background are at a higher risk
• Professional football - studies show that professional football players are at a higher risk of dying from ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Treatment and Prevention.

There is still no treatment or cure and prevention for ALS. But considering eating healthy food it may decrease the onset of ALS.

The study, published in the journal Annals of Neurology, confirmed that colorful carotenoids prevented the onset of ALS; Carotenoids are what make fruits and vegetables a bright red, orange, or yellow color, and area dietary source of Vitamin A.

Eating bright colored foods, especially those that are yellow, orange, and red, may prevent or slow the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Other research has shown that people with high antioxidant intake, such as vitamin E have a decreased risk of ALS.

When to go to the doctor?

If you develop unexplained muscle weakness or difficulty controlling your movements and if speaking, breathing or swallowing is affected. See your doctor immediately.

Though no cure (as of now) or treatment for ALS, there are significant devices and therapies that can manage the symptoms of ALS that help and give people a hope to prolong survival.

Sources
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis/basics/causes/con-20024397
http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255513.php