Causes
So far, no concrete cause has been found that triggers this autoimmune disease, but researchers have found correlations between the disease and different genetic and environmental factors. The disease tends to develop in young people but can occur between the ages of twenty to fifty. There seems to be a strong tie between multiple sclerosis and a lack of vitamin D. And while there is no evidence to suggest that MS is hereditary, scientists believe there may be certain genetics in immediate relatives that make a person more susceptible to MS (Bebo, et al., 2014) .
Neurology
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. MS affects the central nervous system of its patient. The central nervous system is composed of neurons; these neurons conduct electrical impulses called action potentials along their tail-like axons. Everything the body says or does is the result of an action potential being carried from neuron to neuron to or from the central nervous system.
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Biochemistry
Normally, conduction along axons can be slow, but in select parts of the nervous system, the axons are covered in small sheaths called myelin. Most But for those who suffer from multiple sclerosis, their myelin is attacked by their own immune system. As the individual's immune system begins to ruin the myelin, hardened lesions develop, which inhibits axon potential conduction. Multiple sclerosis is the result, which according to Randall Schapiro, literally means "many scars".
Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis can be very challenging to diagnose because symptoms can vary. The brain is highly complex, with different areas responsible for different functions, and since there is no rhyme or reason to where lesions form, there may be multiple functions inhibited, producing many different combinations of symptoms. One person may struggle with speech and vision, while another may struggle with coordination. Common symptoms include: muscle spasms, mood swings, dysphasia, and difficulty with vision, paralysis, muscle control, dizziness, pain and fatigue. And even though action potentials are still firing through the neurons, the scarring causes the conduction to become irregular.
Progression
While an absolute cure for MS hasn't been discovered yet, victims of MS are encouraged by new breakthroughs in the research world. Not only are cases of MS being diagnosed more quickly and accurately, but there are many more treatments to lessen the severity of symptoms. There are many drugs MS patients can ingest, inject, or diffuse to take control of their disease, including medications for specific symptoms.
Treatment
There are also more natural ways to treat MS, including supplements and physical therapy. A new experiment funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation has inspired hope for many MS victims. The experiment shows that heavy chemotherapy in addition to the patient’s own healthy stem cells (gleaned and then injected back into the subject) may stop the advance of the disease and even improve existing damage over time.
Huntington Disease
Causes
Huntington Disease can be cause by being inherited. The disorder affects brain which is degenerative. Huntington can led to chronic disease such as complete loss of both physical control and mental control. IT is also known as Huntington’s chorea. The word “chorea” is also called dance like movements, similar to the uncontrolled motor movements that occurs in Huntington Disease (Roose, 2010).
Biochemistry
The Huntington’s disease presents in an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. This means that one altered gene is a must for the condition to occur. The disease inherited gene responsible for the cause of the disease is identified as HTT gene. This gene is located on the short arm of chromosome number 4. This gene is responsible for production of the protein Huntington (Cunha, 2018). This protein plays a major role in normal brain functioning. Mutation at a particular segment of the gene is known as CAG tri-nucleotide. These repeats expand which causes the disorder.
Neurology
The neurology defects presented in HD are caused by Huntington protein. That is malformed inside the brain. That results in the clumping of brain cells and eventual death of nerve cells. This neurodegenerative disorder results in various behavioral and psychiatric disturbances along with dementia. The basal ganglia cells of the brain are heavily affected by the degeneration of the nerve cell. Basal ganglia is located in the inner part of the brain. The disorder also targets outer part of the brain known as cortex that controls memory and perception (cunha). The average age when the onset begins is between 30 and 50 years and it can last on an average for 17-20 years (Roos, 2010).
Symptoms
Early symptoms of this disease start with a person showing behavioral changes. That includes intense mood swings, irritability, depression, hostile outbursts and heightened anxiety (Cunha). They also suffer from heavy depression, apathy and inactivity. Symptoms are intensified as the anxiety levels increase. Cognition starts to decline at very early stages, way before motor signs appear. The person starts to have difficulty driving, learning new things and remembering facts. The secondary symptoms include non-intentional weight loss and sleep deprivation. (Roose, 2010).
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disorder. There are drugs that may help with symptoms associated with the disorder. But at times these drugs cause other symptoms to worsen. Medications like tetrabenazine and deuterabenazine help with the involuntary muscle spasms, uncontrollable movements and twitching. There are therapeutic measures that help in controlling and adapting to the changes of the disorder.
References
Cunha, J. P. (2018) Huntington’s Disease. Retrieved November 2, Retrieved on June 30, 2019 from https://www.medicinenet.com/huntington_disease/article.htm#what_kind_of_care_does_an_individual_with_huntingtons_disease_need
Roos, R. A. (2010). Huntington’s disease: a clinical review. Orphanet Journal of Rare diseases, 5, 40. Retrieved on June 30, 2019 from h ttp://doi.org/10.1186/1750-1172-5-40
Lublin, F. D., Reingold, S. C., Cohen, J. A., Cutter, G. R., Sørensen, P. S., Thompson, A. J., ... & Bebo, B. (2014). Defining the clinical course of multiple sclerosis: the 2013 revisions. Neurology , 83 (3), 278-286.
