• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.77-85
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to investigated the effect of physical function and quality of life through physical therapy and occupational therapy by Bobath approach to patient with ALS. Methods: The data of 1 patient with ALS, who visited D hospital in Busan, was collected from June 5, 2006 to August 19, 2007. To determine the physical function and quality of life, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Gait, Skate. Purdue Pegboard, WHOQOL-BREF, COPM were used. Results: BBS score was increased 0 to 33 in the pre and post test. Gait distance was increased 0m to 500m in pre and post test. Skate score was increased 13 to 22 in the pre and post test, Purdue Pegboard score was increased 0 to 3 in the pre and post test, WHOQOL-BREF was increased 1.92 to 2.46 in the pre and post test. Average COPM score of performance and satisfaction grade of pre test score was 1 then Post test score of performance score increased to 5.7 and satisfaction increased to 4. Conclusion: Physical therapy and Occupational therapy increase physical function and quality of life in ALS patients. Physical therapy and occupational therapy should study more about patients with ALS.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.62-72
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate QOL and the factors related to family caregivers who care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. Methods: The subjects were 83 family caregivers caring for ALS patients who visited the neurology outpatient section of a tertiary hospital located in Seoul between January and July of 2008. Their demographic characteristics were assessed and data were collected using the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale (ALSFRS), the caregiver burden inventory (CBI), HADS, and SF-36. Results: The mean score of the physical health component (PHC) of the family caregiver's QOL was $62.6{\pm}24.4$, and the mean score of the mental health component (MHC) of their QOL was $57.7{\pm}22.4$. The mean score of caregiver burden was $76.5{\pm}30.7$. Anxious family caregivers amounted to 55.4% and depressed family caregivers accounted for 63.9% overall. In a multivariate analysis, the PHC of QOL was explained by caregiver burden (41.1%), depression (9.4%), caregiver gender (3.8%), and caregiver age (3.1%). Anxiety (39.8%), caregiver burden (10.9%), patient gender (5.4%) and depression (1.7%) were predictive factors of the MHC of QOL. Conclusion: Caregiver burden and depression affected both the PHC and the MHC. Caregiver burden affected the PHC more than it did the MHC of QOL, but anxiety affected the MHC more than it did the PHC of QOL.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2000

Background & Objectives : Motor evoked potentials(MEPs) to magnetic trans cranial stimulation were performed to evaluate upper motor neuron involvement and relationship to lower motor neuron involvement in motor neuron disease patients. Method : MEPs were obtained in the 17 consecutive patients with motor neuron disease. These patients were divided into three group based on clinical evidence of upper and lower motor neuron involvement, bulbar symptom; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), progressive muscular atrophy(PMA), progressive bulbar palsy(PBP). MEPs were recorded from abductor pollicis brevis and abductor hallucis muscles. Abnormal MEPs were defined by delayed central motor conduction time or absent MEP. Results : MEPs were abnormal in 64%(11/17) of patients; 100%(7/7) in ALS, 64%(4/7) in PMA, 0%(0/3) in PBP respectively. In 68 total recording muscles, 34 muscles had evidence of motor weakness and showed abnormal responses in 59%(20/34). Whereas 34 muscles with normal strength, only 3%(1/34) of muscles showed abnormal response. Conclusion : MEPs are well correlated with upper motor neuron signs in ALS and may detect masking upper motor neuron signs in PMA. The muscles with lower motor neuron sign(weakness) usually relate with abnormal MEPs reponses.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2011

Geographical differences in the incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been reported, and there are still many unresolved problems. The incidence as well as epidemiologic data of ALS is not known in Korea. Web-based multicenter registry of ALS, the Korean ALS registry, was established at January, 2011. The aim of "the Korean ALS registry" is the following: (1) to establish a database for the prospective collection of epidemiological information; (2) to assess the incidence and prevalence; (3) to find the temporal and geographic trends in the disease; (4) to define the full clinical spectrum of the disease; (5) to develop treatment guideline based on the database.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.279-283
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• 2001

We had one female ALS patient. The patient was diagnosed with ALS by EMG and Symptoms. We diagnosed the patient as Jinshang(筋傷) and Pishenyangxu(脾腎陽虛). We gave Shaoyaogancao-tang jiami(芍藥甘草湯加味) and Sijunzi-tang he Lizhong-tang jiami(四君子合理中湯加味) based on the differentiation of symtoms. We report the changes of the ALS patient's disphagia, lalopathy, and hypotonia after two months treatment with Riluzole and oriental medical treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.611-621
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• 2022

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is commonly used as control or vehicle solvent in preclinical research of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) due to its ability to dissolve lipophilic compounds and cross the blood brain barrier. However, the biochemical effects of DMSO on the outcomes of preclinical research are often overlooked. In the present study, we investigated whether the long-term oral administration of 5% DMSO affects the neurological, functional, and histological disease phenotype of the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase glycine 93 to alanine mutation (SOD1-G93A) mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. SOD1-G93A transgenic mice showed shortened survival time and reduced motor function. We found that administration with DMSO led to increased mean survival time, reduced neurological scores, and improved motor performance tested using the rotarod and grip strength tests. On the other hand, DMSO treatment did not attenuate motor neuron loss in the spinal cord and denervation of neuromuscular junctions in the skeletal muscle. These results suggest that DMSO administration could improve the quality of life of the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS without affecting motor neuron denervation. In conclusion, the use of DMSO as control or vehicle solvent in preclinical research may affect the behavioral outcomes in the SOD1-G93A mouse model. The effect of the vehicle should be thoroughly considered when interpreting therapeutic efficacy of candidate drugs in preclinical research.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.79.2-79.2
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• 2003

Minocycline is known to protect neurons from microglia-mediated cell death in many experimental models of brain diseases including ischemic stroke, Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Activation of caspase-2, 3, 8, and 9 was evident within 2-8 hr following oxidative insult with 0.5 mM hydrogen peroxide in PC12 cells. Minocycline significantly attenuated activation of these caspases up to 18 hr, resulting a significant increase in cell viability as assessed by MTT assay. (omitted)

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.116-118
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• 2008

Mills' syndrome is rare clinical syndrome described in 1900 by Mills, namely ascending (or less often, descending) progressive hemiplegia. Mills' syndrome could be considered as a variant of primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but is still controversial. According to clinical course, imaging and electrophysiological findings, our case is more compatible with Mills' syndrome rather than PLS or ALS. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Mills' syndrome in Korea.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.187-195
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• 2012

Objectives : Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a progressive and incurable disease that causes degeneration of the motor neurons of the brain stem and spinal cord. The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of Sa-am acupuncture treatment on ALS patient. Methods : Following the stabilization period, a ALS patient respiratory figures(Et $C_{O2}$, Sp $_{O2}$, RR, pulse) were measured by using capnography & pulse oximetry for 30 minutes before acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture treatment such as lung tonification($SP_3(+){\cdot}LU_9(+){\cdot}HT_8(-){\cdot}LU_{10}(-)$), heart tonification($HT_9(+){\cdot}LR_1(+){\cdot}SI_8(-){\cdot}KI_{10}(-)$), liver tonification ($KI_{10}(+){\cdot}LR_8(+){\cdot}LU_8(-){\cdot}LR_4(-)$) were conducted for 5 days. Each Sa-am acupuncture treatment conducted at AM 7 : 00, AM 11 : 00, PM 4 : 30 of the day. During acupuncture treatment, the patient respiratory figures were measured equally for 30 minutes. The patient was treated by using Dong-bang acupuncture needles($0.30{\times}4.0$) and also stimulated using infra red. Results : The value of Et $C_{O2}$ has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture lung tonification treatment than others. The value of pulse has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture heart tonification treatment than others. The value of raspiration rate has decreased more after Sa-am acupuncture liver tonification treatment than others. And the value of Sp $O_2$ has increased more after Sa-am acupuncture liver tonification treatment than others. Conclusions : Although this study was subject to a few limitations, but it shows that Sa-am acupuncture treatment for ALS patients has a meaningful effect. This study needs to be developed further using a larger sample size to obtain more valuable and meaningful data.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.354-363
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between characteristics of severe ALS patient-caregiver couples and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in family caregivers. Methods: The participants in this study were 89 pairs of ALS patients using ventilators and a family caregiver. The characteristics of the ALS patients and caregivers, Korean-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised, Zarit Burden Interview and SF-36 were measured in this study. The data were collected from August 2008 to April 2009. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and canonical correlation were used for data analysis. Results: The physical component summary and mental component summary of the HRQoL score for family caregivers were $147.49{\pm}31.63$ and $129.09{\pm}35.83$, respectively. HRQoL for caregivers was related to characteristics of the ALS patient-caregiver couples, such as patient's gender, caregiver's age, gender, marital status, daily time spent in caregiving and burden with one significant canonical variable. The significant variate showed that the lower the age, the time spent in caregiving and the burden of caregivers, the higher the HRQoL of caregivers. Conclusion: The support systems for caregivers considering caregiver characteristics such as demographics and burden should be implemented to improve the HRQoL of caregivers.