new section to ALSA web site details ALS disease processes

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http://www.alsa.org/research/topics.cfm

The subtopics section shows "Sub Research Areas" in the section for "Disease Process for ALS," that appear to be a new addition to their web site.

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Amyotrophic comes from the Greek language: A- means "no", myo refers to "muscle", and trophic means "nourishment"; amyotrophic therefore means "no muscle nourishment," which describes the characteristic atrophy of the sufferer's disused muscle tissue. Lateral identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that are affected are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening (sclerosis) in the region.

In ALS, the progressive weakness that develops is due to selective death of motor neurons, the nerve cells that carry messages telling the muscles to contract. Motor neurons are unique cells, the longest in the body. All neurons extend a connecting fiber, the axon, to the next neuron or end organ. Some motor neurons in the spinal cord must extend their axon up to a meter, to reach the toes, for example, yet the cell body maintaining this extraordinary fiber is only of ordinary size. Metabolic demands on the motor neurons must be correspondingly extraordinary.

Organization of Research Areas

Each ALS Research Area is linked to an overview, news links and illustrative images. New research areas may be added as they become relevant to ALS research.


Main Research Area Sub Research Area
Clinical Trials
Disease Process of ALS Axon Structure and Dynamics
Cell Death and Apoptosis
Cognitive Changes with ALS [Frontotemporal Dementia]
Glutamate
Inflammation
Mitochondria
SOD1 and ALS (copper zinc superoxide dismutase 1)
Environmental Factors
Genetics of ALS
Laboratory Models of ALS
Therapies for ALS Cell Targets
Gene Therapy
RNA Therapy
Stem Cells
Trophic Factors
Biomarkers

http://www.alsa.org/research/topics.cfm