ALS Flashcards
1
Q
what does the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis mean?
A
- A - no/without
- Myo - muscle
- Trophic - nourishmen
- lateral - defines the areas in a person’s spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located
- as this area degenerates, it leads to scarring or hardening (sclerosis) in the region
2
Q
Epidemiology of ALS
A
- most common and devastating fatal of all motor neuron diseases
- mortality typically in 2-5 years; highly variable symptoms
- onset is often >50 years old but can occur in younger people
- men are slightly more affected than women (1.5:1)
3
Q
what is ALS characterized by?
A
- progressive degeneration and loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and motor cortex
- destruction of upper and lower motor neurons
- degeneration of anterior horn cells and descending corticobulbar and corticospinal tract
4
Q
pathophysiology of ALS
A
- demyelination and gliosis of the motor cortex, corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts resulting from degeneration of UMN cell bodies in the motor cortex
5
Q
describe the etiology of ALS
A
- unknown
- viral/autoimmune/toxic?
- glutamate excitotoxicity
- increased levels in CSF, plasma, post-mortem tissue
- 5-10% genetic (autosomal dominant)
6
Q
Risk factors for ALS
A
- Male > Female
- Caucasian, non-Hispanic minorities
- Geographical clusters
- Family History
- Age (55-75)
- Prior trauma or TBI
7
Q
ALS Diagnosis
A
- Diagnosis is very difficult
- misdiagnosis is not uncomon
- Largely diagnosis by exclusion
- Clinical examination
- EMG/NCV
- MRI
- CSF, blood and urine tests
- creatine phosphokinase levels higher in ~70% cases
- ID of biomarkers to rule out other neurological diseases
8
Q
clinical diagnosis of ALS requires what criteria?
A
- a pattern of observed and reported symptoms of both UMN and LMN as well as persistent decline in physical function that cannot be attributed to other disorders
- El Escorial criteria
9
Q
what is included in the El Escorial criteria for diagnosis of ALS?
A
- exclusion of all other Dx + Progressive Functional Decline +
- progressive UMN and LMN deficits in at least one limb or region of the human body or
- LMN deficits in at least one region by clinical exam and/or by EMG in two body regions (defined as bulbar, cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral)
- the EMG findings consist of neurogenic potentials and fibrillation potentials and/or sharp waves
10
Q
General Clinical Presentations of ALS
A
- cardinal sign → progressive muscle weakness
- UMN impairments
- LMN impairments
- Bulbar impairments
- Respiratory impairments
- Cognitive impairments
- Additional impairments
11
Q
ALS S/S: Progressive Muscle Weakness
A
- most common impairment focal, asymmetrical muscle weakness beginning in LE or UE or Bulbar weakness
- Can be due to UMN and/or LMN involvement
- LMN weakness >> UMN weakness
- Eye, bowel and bladder muscle normally spared until terminal stages
- Progresses to entire body involvement
12
Q
ALS UMN Impairments
A
- spasticity
- hyperreflexia
- clonus
- pathological reflexes
- weakness
13
Q
ALS LMN Impairments
A
- hyporeflexia
- hypotonicity
- atrophy
- fasciculations
- weakness
14
Q
ALS Bulbar Impairments
A
- spastic bulbar palsy or flaccid bulbar palsy
- dysarthria
- sialorrhea
15
Q
ALS Respiratory Impairments
A
- decreased respiratory muscle strength
- reduction of VC up to 50% typically when symptoms arise
16
Q
ALS Cognitive Impairments
A
- variable evidence on prevalence
- verbal fluency
- language comprehensive
- memory
- abstract reasoning