Heart Drug Might Prevent ALS

Source: Washington University School of Medicine
Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141026195413.htm
Date Published: October 26, 2014

Summary
As many people now know, the ALS is a disease that slowly paralyzes the person who has it. Scientifically, it kills the nerve cells that control muscles. Lou Gehrig's disease, known as ALS, leads to the inability to move your body and eventually, the difficulty of breathing and swallowing leads to death. However, digoxin, a medication that is used during heart failure, is being tested to see if it is adaptable to treat ALS. In mice, scientists have discovered that when they reduce the activities of enzymes or limited the reproduction of enzymes, the killing of the nerve cells stopped. The enzyme is found to maintain the proper balance of sodium and potassium in cells. The scientists are still undergoing the research in order to find the cure of the Lou Gehrig's disease.

Relevance
This topic is relevant to what our class learned because of the enzymes. We recently learned what enzymes are and what they do in chemical reactions. This topic involve biochemistry because it also has to do with cells. The title engrossed me as soon as I came across it because I know that many people are struggling and donating so that the patients can be cured. I did not know that what the scientists were researching had to do with enzymes and the cellular functions. Enzymes have specific functions and this enzyme has to do with something with the killing of the nerve cells. Biochemistry is very important and this discovery just might save thousands of people.