Modern medicine is constantly evolving. Scientists are creating new drugs for previously incurable diseases. However, today experts cannot offer adequate treatment against all ailments. One of these pathologies is ALS disease. The causes of this disease are still unexplored, and the number of patients is only increasing every year. In this article, we will take a closer look at this pathology, its main symptoms and methods of treatment.
General information
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Charcot's disease) is a serious pathology of the nervous system, in which there is damage to the so-called motor neurons in the spinal cord, as well as in the cerebral cortex. This is a chronic and incurable disease, gradually leading to the degeneration of the entire nervous system. In the last stages of the disease, a person becomes helpless, but at the same time he retains mental clarity and mental he alth.
ALS disease, the causes and pathogenesis of which have not been fully studied, does not differ in specific methods of diagnosis and treatment. Scientists continue to actively study it today. Now it is known for sure that the disease develops mainly in people aged 50 and up to approximately 70 years, however, there are cases of earlier lesions.
Classification
Depending on the localization of the primary manifestations of the disease, experts distinguish the following forms:
- Lumbosacral form (there is a violation of the motor function of the lower extremities).
- Bulbar form (some nuclei of the brain are affected, which leads to paralysis of the central character).
- Cervical-thoracic form (primary symptoms appear with a change in the habitual motor function of the upper limbs).
On the other hand, experts distinguish three more types of ALS disease:
- Marian form (primary signs appear very early, there is a slow course of the disease).
- Classic sporadic type (95% of all cases).
- Family type (differs in late manifestation and hereditary predisposition).
Why does ALS happen?
The causes of this disease, unfortunately, are still poorly understood. Scientists are currently identifying a number of factors, the existence of which increases the likelihood of getting sick several times:
- ubiquin protein mutation;
- violation of the action of neurotrophic factor;
- mutations of some genes;
- increased free radical oxidation in neuron cells themselves;
- presence of an infectious agent;
- Increased activity of the so-called excitatory amino acids.
ALS disease. Symptoms
Photos of patients with this disease can be found in specialized directories. All of them are united by only one thing - the external symptoms of the disease in the later stages.
As for the primary clinical signs of pathology, they very rarely cause alertness on the part of patients. Moreover, potential patients often explain them by constant stress or lack of rest from the work routine. Below we list the symptoms of the disease that appear in the early stages:
- muscle weakness;
- dysarthria (difficulty speaking);
- frequent muscle cramps;
- numbness and weakness of limbs;
- slight muscle twitches.
All these signs should alert everyone and become a reason for contacting a specialist. Otherwise, the disease will progress, which increases the likelihood of complications several times.
Course of disease
How does ALS develop? The disease, the symptoms of which have been listed above, initially begins with muscle weakness and numbness of the limbs. If the pathology develops from the legs, then patients may experience difficulty walking, constantly stumble.
If the disease manifests itself withviolations of the upper limbs, there are problems with the implementation of the most elementary tasks (buttoning a shirt, turning the key in the lock).
How else can ALS be recognized? The causes of the disease in 25% of cases lie in the defeat of the medulla oblongata. Initially, there are difficulties with speech, and then with swallowing. All this entails problems with chewing food. As a result, a person stops eating normally and loses weight. In this regard, many patients become depressed, as the disease usually does not affect cognitive functions.
Some patients have difficulty forming words and even normal concentration. Minor violations of this kind are most often explained by poor breathing at night. Medical workers should now tell the patient about the features of the course of the disease, treatment options, so that he can make an informed decision about his future in advance.
Most patients die from respiratory failure or pneumonia. As a rule, death occurs five years after the confirmation of the disease.
Diagnosis
Only a specialist can confirm the presence of this disease. In this matter, the primary role is given to the competent interpretation of the existing clinical picture in a particular patient. Differential diagnosis of ALS disease is extremely important.
- Electromyography. This method allows you to confirm the presence of fasciculations at an early stage of its development. During this procedurea specialist examines the electrical activity of muscles.
- MRI allows you to identify pathological foci and evaluate the functioning of all nervous structures.
What should be the treatment?
Unfortunately, medicine today cannot offer an effective therapy against this disease. How can ALS be cured? Treatment should be aimed primarily at slowing down the course of the pathology. For these purposes, the following activities are used:
- special limb massage;
- in case of failure of the respiratory muscles, artificial ventilation of the lungs is prescribed;
- in case of development of depression, tranquilizers and antidepressants are recommended. In each case, drugs are prescribed on an individual basis;
- joint pains are stopped by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ("Finlepsin");
- today specialists offer Riluzole to all patients. It has a proven effect and is an inhibitor of the release of the so-called glutamic acid. When ingested, the drug reduces damage to neurons. However, even this remedy is not able to completely cure the patient, it only slows down the course of the ALS disease;
- to facilitate the movement of the patient, special devices (canes, chairs) and collars are used to fully fix the neck.
Stem cell treatment
In many European countries, ALS patients today undergotreatment with own stem cells, which also slows down the development of the disease. This kind of therapy is aimed at improving the primary functions of the brain. Stem cells transplanted into the damaged area repair neurons, improve oxygen supply to the brain, and promote new blood vessels.
Isolation of the stem cells themselves and their direct transplantation, as a rule, are carried out on an outpatient basis. After therapy, the patient stays in the hospital for another 2 days, where specialists monitor his condition.
During the actual procedure, cells are injected into the cerebrospinal fluid through a lumbar puncture. Outside the body, they are not allowed to reproduce on their own, and reimplantation is carried out only after detailed cleaning.
It is important to note that this kind of therapy can significantly slow down the ALS disease. Photos of patients 5-6 months after the procedure clearly prove this statement. It will not help to get rid of the disease completely. Unfortunately, there have been cases where the treatment has no effect at all.
Conclusion
The prognosis of this disease is almost always unfavorable. The progression of movement disorders inevitably leads to death (2-6 years).
In this article, we talked about what constitutes such a pathology as ALS. A disease whose symptoms may not show up for a long time is currently impossible to cure completely. Scientists around the world continueactively study this disease, its causes and speed of development, trying to find an effective drug.
