Motor Neuron Diseases
01 Motor Neuron Meaning
The motor neuron diseases (MNDs) refer to a group of progressive neurological disorders that affect motor neurons associated with controlling voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing, and general movement of the body. They commonly have distinctive differences in their origin and causation but a similar result in their outcome for the patient, which is severe muscle weakness.
02 Common MNDs
Common MNDs include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), primary lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy, and poliomyelitis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a disorder that generally involves either the lower or upper motor systems of the body. In advanced stages, both regions of the body are affected. It is caused by sclerosis in the corticospinal tracts. Primary lateral sclerosis is a rare motor neuron disease that resembles ALS but there is no evidence of the degeneration of spinal motor neurons or muscle wasting that occurs in ALS.
03 Progressive Muscular Atrophies
Progressive muscular atrophies are a wide group of genetic disorders characterized by primary degeneration of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord, resulting in progressive muscle weakness.
03 Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, also called polio or infantile paralysis, is a highly infectious viral disease that may attack the central nervous system and is characterized by symptoms that range from a mild nonparalytic infection to total paralysis.
03 Scalp Acupuncture
Scalp acupuncture has been found to have very a significant positive impact on hemiplegic aphasia due to various central nerve disorders, even during the initial few treatments. In Sherry’s case, the hemiplegia was caused by a motor neuron disorder.