Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's Disease, Maladie de Charcot or motor neurone disease) is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body as both the upper and lower motor neurons degenerate and die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, atrophy, and develop fasciculations (twitches) because of denervation. Eventually, the brain completely loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movement. The disease does not necessarily debilitate the patient's mental functioning in the same manner as Alzheimer's disease or other neurological conditions. Rather, those suffering advanced stages of the disease may retain the same memories, personality, and intelligence they had before its onset.
Scientists have not found a definitive cause for ALS and the onset of the disease can be linked to a variety of risk factors. It is believed that one or more of the following factors are responsible for the majority of ALS cases. Researchers suspect a virus, exposure to neurotoxins or heavy metals, DNA defects (especially in familial ALS), immune system abnormalities, and enzyme abnormalities as the leading causes of the disease. There is a hereditary factor in familial ALS (FALS) however there is no known hereditary component in the 90-95% cases diagnosed as sporadic ALS.
A few causative factors have been discovered. Prolonged exposure to a dietary neurotoxin is the suspected risk factor in Guamanian ALS. The neurotoxin is a compound (a sterol beta-D-glucoside[7]) found in the seed of the cycad Cycas circinalis, a tropical plant found in Guam, which was used in the human food supply during the 1950s and early 1960s. An inherited genetic defect linked to a defect on chromosome 21 is believed to cause approximately 40% of familial ALS cases. This mutation is believed to be autosomal dominant.
The children of those diagnosed with familial ALS have a higher risk factor for developing the disease, however those who have close family members diagnosed with sporadic ALS have no greater a risk factor than the general population [2].
According to The ALS Association, military veterans are at an increased risk of contracting ALS. In its report ALS in the Military, the group pointed to an almost 60% greater chance of the disease in military veterans than the general population.
2007-07-23 09:09:33
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answer #1
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answered by king_q83 2
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Lou Gehrig contracted Lou Gehrig's Disease -- what were the odds of that happening?!?!?
Nah. It's called ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and it's a degenerative neurological disorder. There is no cure. Catfish Hunter died of it as well. Physicist Stephen Hawking also suffers from it, but since he contracted it as a rather young man it has not, yet, killed him (he's lived with ALS for decades; don't ask me why his form is so slow to progress, I don't understand it, but it's good to still have him around).
2007-07-23 09:40:20
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answer #2
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answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7
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As a large crimson Sox fan, it can be disrespectful to not honor Lou Gehrig as now not most effective one of the most greatest of all time however as a satisfactory man as good. You'll consistently get the yahoo's (No offense Y!) that is not going to partner whatever to do with the Yankees with themselves. Gehrig's simplest quandary was once that he was once more often than not overshadowed by the Babe, like in 1927 when Ruth hit his 60 HR's.
2016-08-04 06:40:36
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answer #3
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answered by ? 1
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Lou Gehrig suffered from a disease referred to as ALS . This is not a cancer but a neuro-muscular disease that attacks the muscles of the body and gradually prevents all movement. The patient suffering from this has an active mind but a body that fails to act and death is inevitable, usually due to suffocation. A terrible disease and a terrible way to die.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian helped a patient with ALS end his life, so terrible is the disease.
2007-07-23 09:16:00
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answer #4
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answered by meemah70 3
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He actually had ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), which is not a type of cancer at all, but a degenerative neurological disease. In fact, the disease is now commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease".
2007-07-23 10:43:17
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answer #5
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answered by frenchy62 7
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he had Lou Gehrig's disease
remember the one named after him
2007-07-23 10:40:13
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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ALS
http://www.alsa.org/als/what.cfm
2007-07-23 09:08:31
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answer #7
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answered by Toodeemo 7
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he never had cancer . look up Lou Gehrig disease, he had a illness that will paralyze your whole body slowly killing you there is no cure as of now.
2007-07-23 10:15:01
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answer #8
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answered by sandyjean 4
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He did not die from cancer, he did from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
hence the name Lou Gehrig's Disease.
2007-07-23 09:15:13
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answer #9
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answered by animalsrgodsgifts 2
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He had ALS, or now what is known as Lou Gerhig's disease. It isn't cancer...it's a slow and painful neurological disease.
2007-07-23 09:10:45
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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