What is ALS? – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | The ALS …
1. ”Myo” refers to muscle.
”Trophic” means nourishment.
So, amyotrophic means ”no muscle nourishment,” and when a muscle has no nourishment, it ”atrophies” or wastes away.
2. ”Lateral” identifies the areas in a person’s spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located.
3. As this area degenerates, it leads to scarring or hardening (”sclerosis”) in the region.
https://www.als.org/understanding-als/what-is-als
BvS-hypothesis> ALS Complexity and limited knowledge so far .. especially what is really the ”background” for ALS and other sclerosis as well as different kinds of arthritis … autoimmune inflammations … and would Quantum biology play a decisive role for all, especially enzymatic tunnelling?
1- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) vs. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) https://www.verywellhealth.com/ms-vs-ra-5220820 “are both autoimmune diseases that develop in similar ways.1 An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign pathogens and attacks them. While MS and RA can appear similar, the two have distinct differences. MS targets the brain and spinal cord, attacking the myelin sheath, which is the protective coating found on nerves. RA mainly targets the cartilage in the joints. In some cases, the two diseases can occur simultaneously, which causes confusion in diagnosis and treatment.1 This article discusses the similarities and differences between MS and RA, as well as the diagnostic tools used to determine whether a person has MS, RA, or both.” See also
2- A comparison of systemic sclerosis and multiple sclerosis https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/systemic-sclerosis-vs-multiple-sclerosis Is there a difference between MS and sclerosis? “Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes damage to the myelin sheath, which is the thin membrane that protects the central nervous system (CNS). Systemic sclerosis (SS) causes thickening and hardening of the skin and internal organs”
- What’s the Difference Between ALS and MS? https://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-or-als “Multiple sclerosis(MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are different diseases with some similar features and symptoms.
They both:
- Affect your muscles and your ability to move your body
- Attack your brain and spinal cord
- Have “sclerosis” in their name
- Cause scarring or hardening around nerve cells
They have some key differences, though. MS is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to attack itself. ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nervous system disorder that wears away nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. Both are treated differently.
The Diseases and Your Nerve Cells
”Sclerosis” comes from the Greek word for “scar.” Both ALS and MS cause scarring of the covering of nerve fibers. But the process of how that happens is different for each.
Nerve cells in your body are wrapped in thin coverings called myelin sheaths. They protect these cells, similar to how insulation protects electrical wires.
When you have MS, your body attacks the myelin sheaths in your brain and spinal cord.
When myelin sheaths are damaged, signals from your brain to other parts of your body get short-circuited.
ALS breaks down the actual nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. These cells, called motor neurons, are in charge of the voluntary muscles in your arms, legs, face, and diaphragm for breathing.
- Types of ALS? https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/brain-and-nerves/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis/types.html
“What are the symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)?
The first sign of ALS is often weakness in one leg, one hand, the face, or the tongue. The weakness slowly spreads to both arms and both legs. This happens because as the motor neurons slowly die, they stop sending signals to the muscles. So the muscles don’t have anything telling them to move. Over time, with no signals from the motor neurons telling the muscles to move, the muscles get weaker and smaller.
Over time, ALS also causes:
- Muscle twitching.
- Trouble using your hands and fingers to do tasks.
- Problems with speaking, swallowing, eating, walking, and breathing.
- Problems with memory, thinking, and changes in personality. But these are not common.
ALS doesn’t cause numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling.”
“Diagnosing ALS at Stanford
At Stanford, our experienced subspecialist doctors focus on recognizing the subtle, early signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which gives them an advantage in determining when to order further testing earlier in the diagnosis process.
Diagnosing ALS may involve:
- Complete medical history and physical examination
- Electrodiagnostic tests (EMG/NCS): Our neuromuscular neurologists assess muscle and nerve function using a machine that measures electrical signals in individual muscles and nerves. Learn more about electromyography.
- Laboratory tests: Tests may be performed to check your blood and urine for heavy metals, proteins, vitamins, etc.
- Imaging studies: Your doctor may want you to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Learn more about MRI.
- Lumbar puncture: Also called a spinal tap, this test examines your spinal fluid for abnormalities. Learn more about spinal tap.
- Biopsy: Muscle and nerve cells are examined under a microscope”.
- What is Bulbar-Onset ALS? Six Things to Know. https://www.targetals.org/2022/05/10/what-is-bulbar-onset-als-six-things-to-know/
“Bulbar onset ALS is a form of ALS that mainly affects the motor neurons within the bulbar region of
2024-06-28 text coming .. ASAP .. especially how quantum behaviors may play a decisive role …