LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE

JEAN MARIE CHARCOT AND OTHER RESEARCH

• Jean Charcot was the first person to take notes over ALS.
• Over 67 million dollars has been raised to help find a cure for ALS.
• It is currently incurable.

SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS

• Weakness in the hands, arms, and/ or legs.
• Fasciculation or cramping in the arms or legs.
• Thick speech or impairment of the use of arms or legs.
• In more advanced stages:
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing and difficulties swallowing.

BODY SYSTEMS THAT ARE AFFECTED

• Cramps in the arms or legs.
• Loss of use of arms and/ or legs.
• Muscle weakness.

MUTANT

• ALS is a mutation.

TREATMENTS

• There is no cure for ALS but there are ways to control it.
• Baclofen reduces stiffness in joints and muscles.
• Rilutek can prevent the nerve cells from over excitement by glutamate.
• Physical therapy can reduce the loss of muscle accessibility.

DIAGNOSE

• There is no way to know if someone has ALS for 100%.
• There are a series of tests that can be performed to diagnose it.

SOURCES

• "ALS Symptoms." ALS Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.
• "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis." - Genetics Home Reference. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013
• Diagnosis & Treatment of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.