bdyle
04-07-2007, 11:10 AM
I've been reading over the site the last few days and getting confused about somthing. I was dx with ALS by 2 doctors in Dec. 05, found about the MDA/ALS clinic in Houston in Dec. 06 thru the Louisiana ALS chapter. Went there in Feb. 07 for 3 days of testing, the Dr. there told me I had upper MND, which only effected the arms, legs, and hands. He said there was no sign of the lower MND being effected at this time, which effected your speech, swallowing, and breathing. Seems like I've read some post that reversed all this about the upper and lower MND. Would like to here from some of you on what you have heard from doctors. Thanks, Billy
Jamiet
04-07-2007, 11:39 PM
bdyle.....Hello, and we are close together. I'm visiting the same doctor you are, probably Simpson or Appell? I'm still undiag., but read my posts and i have a long history.
Look below at a outline of what you have. we're here to help you.
Good luck...
Jamie
Primary Lateral Sclerosis2
Sporadic, Adult onset
PLS: Sporadic, Adult onset
? Discrete syndrome vs ALS variant
Clinical
Onset
Slowly progressive
Legs before arms
Most commonly in 5th decade
No family history
Motor dysfunction
Corticospinal ± corticobulbar tract dysfunction
Spasticity: Legs > Arms
Tendon reflexes: Brisk
Plantar reflex: Normal or upgoing
Pseudobulbar signs: Especially with disease onset > 45 years
Symmetric
No lower motor neuron change
Sensory: Normal
Frontal lobe dysfunction: Mild
Progression
Gradual
Slow
> 3 years; Up to 3 decades
Bladder function: Normal until late in disease
Laboratory
Magnetic stimulation: Absent or prolonged cortical motor evoked latencies
MRI: Focal atrophy of precentral gyrus
PET scan: Reduced glucose consumption in pericentral region
Central motor conduction times: Prolonged
Normal: Serum; CSF; EMG; Spinal cord imaging; Serum CK; CSF protein
Disease association: ? Breast cnacer
Pathology
Corticospinal tract: Axonal loss
Normal: Anterior horn cells ± Betz cells
Differential diagnosis
Structural disorders: Spinal; Foramen magnum; Hydrocephalus
Hereditary spinal disorders
Infections
