Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Paper

Imagine reaching out to grab the phone but for some odd reason, it was not possible. You then realize your arm has simply become numb and that soon, it will return to normal. But what if it never did? People suffering with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, experience this everyday until the entire body has become permanently “numb”. This terminal disease affects all but one organ in the person’s body, the brain. What does affect the person’s brain however, is a different disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which damages even the simplest of brain functions. People diagnosed with either, and sometimes both, of these diseases all have one thing in common, a history of concussions or brain trauma due to sports. Like any other profession or hobby, athletics carry many risks that should be protected without completely changing the game. …show more content…
It typically produces weakness and paralysis in the affected muscles and causes them to waste away. People with ALS first notice clumsiness in their hands, weakness in their legs. or slowness in their speech. Difficulty in breathing, eating, and swallowing, is one of the reasons why these people die within a few years after being diagnosed with ALS. The average age in which most people develop this disease is between 40 and 70. Athletes however, are usually diagnosed while in their 30s. Recent studies show that athletes are being diagnosed at a young age because of a history of multiple hits to the head. Athletes who have sustained at least two concussions or other serious head injuries were more likely than other people to develop