Hanyang Med Rev.  2006 Feb;26(1):44-51.

Diagnosis and Therapeutic Strategies of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Medcine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. kimsh1@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease involving both upper and lower motor neuron systems, and multiple pathogenic mechanisms are involved in death of motor neurons; including oxidative injury, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune-inflammatory process and abnormal protein aggregation. Clinically, the disease is characterized by muscle weakness and wasting, often beginning focally, and gradually progressing over 1 or more years to involve muscles of the limb and bulbar regions, diffusely. Diagnosis is established by documenting clinical and/or electrophysiological evidences of both upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction and excluding other diseases showing similar clinical manifestations. In this article, the issues on diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, and pathogenic mechanism-based potential therapeutic approaches of ALS are reviewed.

Keyword

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Diagnosis; Therapy

MeSH Terms

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis*
Diagnosis*
Diagnosis, Differential
Extremities
Motor Neurons
Muscle Weakness
Muscles
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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