Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a nuerodegenerative disease. Motor neurons,(cells part of the nervous system) that originate in the brain extend out to the spinal cord and are interconnected to your muscles, die. These include voluntary and involuntary muscles such as your arm, leg and lung muscles, respectively. The exact cause of the disease is unknown. Based on current research it is partly genetic. There is a repetition of a certain DNA sequence which determines the production of a dysfunctional enzyme in nerve cells. This non-working enzyme contributes to the cell eventually killing itself (apoptosis). Lou Gherig is an old American baseball player who was diagnosed with the disease. Rather than dumping an iced bucket of water over my head because it is the latest trend (especially amongst celebrities who cant even pronounce the acronym correctly) I decided to do my own research and become aware of this disease, which was probably the original reason for this ice bucket challenge. Ice water has nothing to do with the disease. If you have this disease it does not feel like you are constantly being drenched in a bucket of iced water. Youre muscles feel completely normal, you dont feel fatigued or tired, they just dont work. Simple tasks such as walking up stars or lifting a screwdriver become impossible. Your muscles eventually atrophy and you become paralyzed. To prolong life you are placed on a BiPAP machine, a device that breathes for you because your diaphragms neuronal cells no longer exist. There is no communication from your brain to your diaphragm, which naturally forces you to breathe. A person commonly diagnosed is given only a single-digit number of years to live. Although I think Stephen Hawking, who has this disease, is still alive and has had it for many years. I nominate Ricky Murillo and Tony Paz to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Ice-Bucket Challenge.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:28:43 +0000
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