Motor Neuron Disease
What is Motor Neuron Disease?The motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy the cells playing a very important role in controlling the muscle activities such as walking, swallowing and speaking and breathing.
The messages are transmitted from upper motor neurons to lower motor neurons and from them to other particular muscles. Where, the upper motor neuron is responsible for directing the lower motor neurons to produce movements such as chewing and walking. The movements in the legs, arms, throat, face, tongue and chest are controlled by the lower motor neurons.
The age group between fifty and seventy is very risky to get affection of the disease. The disease is also known as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Generally men get affected by the disease rather than women. The disease leads muscle weakening, wasting away and uncontrollable twitching that is also called as fasciculation. Because of this, the person may lose his ability to control voluntary movements.
There are various types of motor neuron disease such as pseudobulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy and progressive bulbar palsy. Spinal muscular atrophy is sometimes considered as type of this illness.
Symptoms for Motor Neuron Disease:
The motor neuron disease shows various symptoms but muscle weakness is one of the major symptoms of motor neuron disease. All normal movements of the body are depending on the transmission of chemical message and the transmission is observed by some crucial cells. But, when the disease occurred, these muscle cells get damaged or dead.
It helps to notice the changes in the sporadic muscles if the person is suffered by the disease. At the initial stage of the disease the muscles of legs, hands and arms gets affected by the disease and the person with the affection of the disease may lose his control.
The person with MND may also get affection to the throat muscles that may lead to problem in swallowing food. There may be possibility of chest infection due to throat infection. The disease may affect on the speech of the person.
There may be cramps in the affected muscles that may become rigid and stiff. It may lead into difficulty while climbing stairs and getting up from chair.
The some people with MND face problem to keep their head steady because of losing the strength of the neck muscles. Some may also face breathing problems that can give harmful results such as respiratory failure. The person with MND can feel that he is losing physical condition day-by-day.
Treatment for motor neuron disease:
Till there is no any permanent and standard cure for the MNDs. According to some practitioners, inheritance genetic disorder is also responsible for causing disease. However, some supportive treatment can help the person to maintain their quality of life. The drug named Riluzole is the only approved drug for the disease by the U.S.
There are some other drugs such as tizanidine, baclofen and benzodiazepines that helps to reduce the symptoms such as muscle relaxant; atropine and glycopyrrolate helps to reduce the flow of saliva; cramps can be prevented by using quinine or phenytoin; the drugs such as nonsteroidal and anticonvulsants to relieve pain; the drugs including botulinium toxin, amitriptyline, antidepressants and other anticholingergic are usful to control drooling and tranquilizers are used when there is sleeping problems.
It is true that there is no any result oriented treatment for MNDs but the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is conducting research on MNDs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to find out better ways to treat and prevent the MNDs.
