Questions: 1. Although the cause of ALS is still unknown, how could mutations in the DNA found within a motor neuron contribute to the progression of the disease? (Hint: See lecture #2 and ensure you include the process of protein production and the notion of structure and function within your answer) 2. How is it possible that ALS only targets motor neurons and not sensory neurons or interneurons? (Hint: think about gene regulation and diversity)
Joyce was sitting in her English Literature class having a tough time concentrating. She had just been home for a long weekend to visit her parents and had noticed some peculiar things going on with her mom.
When she and her mom were out shopping, her mom had been walking a bit funny. Her foot kept slapping against the ground. Joyce also had noticed that her mom was talking with a slight slur, something she had never heard before. At first, Joyce found it amusing. But this continued throughout the day and during her entire visit home. Joyce also noticed some twitching in her mother’s forearms.
Joyce started to wonder what was going on. She went to her computer and started reviewing any studies and artciles on the brain. She read about how the brain is made up of billions of neurons, which are the basic cellular units of the brain. These neurons help people to think, respond to the environment around them, maintain homeostasis, and move. “Aha!” Joyce said to herself. Maybe her mom’s strange walking and speech had to do with how her neurons were working. After reading about how neurons function, Joyce spent some time searching on the internet and came across a documentary video about a woman whose mom was diagnosed with a disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS:
A Personal Story of ALS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OL2YOTTp_k&feature=youtu.be
Joyce then did some research on what ALS is and watched a video about it:
Inside ALS: The neurons behind the disease: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrIjFVMliOQ
Joyce wondered if mutations could play a role in the development of ALS and did some searching for possible causes of ALS. She found that there are in fact a large number of genes that have been identified as possible contributors to the development and progression of the disease. She also remembered from the video she watched that described ALS that patients displayed protein aggregates or clumps of irregular proteins in and around the neurons.
Questions:
1. Although the cause of ALS is still unknown, how could mutations in the DNA found within a motor neuron contribute to the progression of the disease? (Hint: See lecture #2 and ensure you include the process of protein production and the notion of structure and function within your answer)
2. How is it possible that ALS only targets motor neurons and not sensory neurons or interneurons? (Hint: think about gene regulation and diversity)
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