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Psychology Neuropathological Disorders Amyotrophic Lateral Essay

Genes involved in the smaller ALS families can either be susceptibility or causative genes (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), 2005). There appears to be no clear cause in the majority of ALS cases and there is just one medication, riluzole, has been shown to modestly prolong survival. Research has recognized some of the cellular processes that take place after disease onset, including mitochondrial dysfunction, protein aggregation, generation of free radicals, excitotoxicity, inflammation and apoptosis, but for most people the underlying cause is unknown. While ALS is measured to be a multifaceted genetic disorder in which multiple genes in amalgamation with environmental exposures merge to render a person susceptible, few genetic or environmental risks have been revealed to date (Gordon, 2011).

According to Mitchell & Borasio (2007) a lot of causal and pathogenetic hypotheses for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have been proposed over the years, ranging from heavy-metal toxic effects to environmental and occupational exposures. Despite wide-ranging research, the disorder remains inadequately understood...

Current work focuses mostly on excitotoxicity and oxidant stress. Viral hypotheses drawing from the role of poliovirus in poliomyelitis have been pursued at length without positive evidence budding.
This disease is very misunderstood and needs to have a lot more research done on it so that hopefully a cure can be found. There also needs to be more research done on medications that can be used to treat this disease so that those who get it can lead longer more quality lives.

References

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). (2005). Retrieved from http://www.chg.duke.edu/diseases/als.html

Carlson, N. (2011). Foundations of behavioral neuroscience (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

ISBN: 9780558851910.

Gordon, P.H. (2011). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. CNS Drugs, 25(1), 1-15.

Mitchell, J., & Borasio, G. (2007). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Lancet, 369(9578),

Sources used in this document:
References

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). (2005). Retrieved from http://www.chg.duke.edu/diseases/als.html

Carlson, N. (2011). Foundations of behavioral neuroscience (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

ISBN: 9780558851910.

Gordon, P.H. (2011). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. CNS Drugs, 25(1), 1-15.
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