ALS Research Paper ALS is a disease that prevents muscles to work by attacking the nerve cells. Patients that have ALS live for about 2 to 5 years after they get diagnosed; 8% of ALS patients survived for more than 10 years. This disease can strike anyone, but is not contagious.
10% of the patients across U. S. that have ALS were inherited. The gene chromosomes’ are 21 neurons that send a message from the brain to the nerves and muscles. The prevention or cause of this disease as not been discovered yet. Many symptoms of the disease include; twitching, muscle weakness, difficulty of chewing, slurred speech, and feeling clumsy.
About 5 thousand people in U. S. were reported of this disease every year. In 1993 scientists of the National Institute Neurological Disorders and Stroke theorized that mutations in the gene were created by SOD1 enzyme. There is no cure for this disease, but scientists discovered that riluzole (drug) can slow down the process of ALS. They also discovered that creatine (muscle supplement) can help patients that have this disease; it helps to build muscle and enables the muscle to contract.
Recent studies in California recommended patients to eat foods in high antioxidants because it gave them energy (Antioxidants include vitamins C and E).ALS also known as the “Lou Gehrig’s disease” was named after the famous baseball player, Henry Lou Gehrig. Henry was born in Manhattan from an immigrated German family. His father Heinrich was employed at a metal sheet factory and his mother Christina was a maid.
He had two sisters that died from the measles and the brother died from infancy. Henry always kept in mind to never giving up and always working hard; an inspiration from his parents. And that’s how hard takes place in his baseball career; although he went to Colombia University for a full football scholarship.Henry never thought of pursuing his future career with sports; he wanted to graduate with an engineer degree. A scout from the New York Giants, John McGraw knew he could play baseball. He enlisted Henry to play a couple of pro baseball games.
And from there on he was a big hit and Colombia University wanted him to join the baseball team. Soon after about two months playing for Colombia, Yankee scout wanted to recruit Henry to the New York Yankees MLB team. Then on, he was nicknamed “Iron Horse” due to being the first player to hit four home runs in one game.He became the most valuable player twice in major league baseball, not to mention he led the Yankees to win six world championships.
In 1939, his game was going downhill, “then his friend noticed that Gehrig shuffled his feet as he walked. ”(wade13) Henry decided to get a checkup at the doctors and was notified that he had a gall bladder problem. When Henry went back to the diamond, he realized he was having trouble running the each base. Henry was diagnosed again and this time found out he had ALS disease.
His career was soon to be over; 14 years and 2,130 games. He was upset, yet he said “l am still a lucky man. a few months later he was included in the M. L.
B hall of fame. Many of his fans were upset and devastated. In honor of Henry Lou Gehrig the Yankees didn’t allow anyone else to ever wear his number. A few years later Henry died on June 2, 1942. And from that day on the scientific name was unknown, so they just named it after him “Lou Gehrig’s disease”.
Website: “National Center Biotech. Info. U. S.
A. National Library of Medicine. ” 2012. Bethesda, Maryland http://www. ncbi.
nlm. nih. gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001708/ Book: Wade, Marry, Disease and People: “ALS Lou Gehrig’s disease. ” Berkley Heights, New Jersey. 2001 Data:
