Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, motor neuron disease is a neurological disease that attacks the neurons that control skeletal muscle.
Motor neurons located in the brain, brain stem and bone marrow, and serves as a control and communication unit that connects the nervous system with the striated muscle. Motor signals carried neurotransmitter from motor neurons in the brain, known as the "upper motor neuron", forwarded to the motor neurons in the bone marrow, which is known as the "lower motor neurons", and further forwarded to the relevant striated muscle. Motor neuron motoneuron often called, is a function of neurons under the control synaptothrophic of nerve growth factor (NGF).
Cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:
- The exact cause is unknown (genetic component of about 10% of all patients).
- Autoimmune disorder that attacks the immune complexes in renal glomerular and basement membrane (basemant).
- Metabolic interference in the production of nucleic acids by nerve fibers.
- Nutritional deficiencies associated with disturbances in metabolism enzymes.
- Viruses that cause metabolic disturbances in motor neurons.
- Fasciculations accompanied by atrophy and weakness, especially in the muscles of the upper arm and hand.
- Speech disorders.
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing and breathing.
- Choking feeling.
- Discharge of excessive salivation.
- Electromyography showed electrical abnormality in the muscles that were attacked.
- Muscle biopsy may show atrophic fibers that criss between normal fibers.
- The content of protein in the cerebrospinal fluid rise in one-third of patients, but this finding alone can not ensure the occurrence of ALS disease.
Nursing Diagnosis for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Ineffective breathing pattern.
- Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition: less than body requirements.
- Impaired verbal communication.
- Impaired physical mobility.