    
|
 Helping San Diego, California and beyond since 1997 |
|
|
Helping San Diego, California and beyond since 1997 |
Click here and add this page to your favorites!
|
Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: LOB-LUP |
|
|
LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA (Gr. a, priv., and -rafts, order; synonyms, Tubes dorsalis, posterior spinal sclerosis) , a progressive degeneration of the nervous system, involving the posterior columns of the spinal cord with other structures, and causing muscular incoordination and disorder of gait and station. The essential symptoms of the diseasestamping gait, and swaying with the eyes shut, the occurrence of blindness and of small fixed pupilswere recognized by Romberg (1851), but it was the clinical genius of Duchenne and his masterly description of the symptoms which led to its acceptance as a definite disease (1858), and he named it locomotor ataxia after its most striking symptom. In 1869 Argyll Robertson discovered that the eye-pupil is in-active to light but acts upon accommodation in the great
majority of cases. This most important sign is named the " Argyll Robertson pupil." With an ever-increasing knowledge of the widespread character of this disease and its manifold variationsin the complex of symptoms, the tendency among neurologists is to revert to the term employed by Rombergtabes dorsalis. " Locomotor ataxia," although it expresses a very characteristic feature of the disease,has this objection:it is a symptom which does not occur in the first (preataxic) stage of the disease; indeed a great
It is generally recognized by neurologists that persons who are not the subjects of acquired or hereditary syphilis do not suffer from this disease; and the average time of onset after infection is ten years (see NEUROPATHOLOGY). There are three stages: (z) The preataxic, (2) the ataxic, (3) the bed-ridden paralytic. The duration of the first stage may be from one or two years, up to twenty years or even longer. In this stage various symptoms may arise. The patient usually complains of shooting
double
touch and temperature. These disturbances affect especially the feet and legs, and around the trunk at the level of the fourth to the seventh ribs, giving rise to a " girdle sensation." There may be a numbed feeling on the inner side of the arm, and muscular incoordination may affect the upper limb as well as the lower, although there is no wasting or any electrical change . The ataxic gait is very characteristic, owing to the loss of reflex tonus in the muscles, and the absence of guiding sensations from all the deep structures of the limbs, muscles, joints, bones, tendons and ligaments, as well as from the skin of the soles of the feet; therefore the sufferer has to be guided by vision as to where and how to place his feet. This necessitates the bending forward of the body
touch the tip of his nose with the eyes shut. Sooner or later he passes into the third bed-ridden stage, with muscles wasted and their tonus so much lost that he is in a perfectly helpless condition.The complications which may arise in this disease are inter-current affections due to septic conditions of the bladder, bed-sores, pneumonia, vascular and heart affections. About zo% of the cases, at least, develop general paralysis of the insane. This is not surprising seeing that it is due to the same cause, and the etiology of the two diseases is such as to lead many neurologists to consider them one and the same disease affecting different parts of the nervous system. Tabes dorsalis occurs with much greater frequency in men than in women (see NEUROPATHOLOGY). The avoidance of all stress of the nervous system, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, is indicated, and a simple regular life, without stimulants or indulgence of the sexual passion, is the best means of delaying the progress of the disease. Great attention should be paid to micturition, so as to avoidretention and infection of the bladder. Drugs, even anti
LOCO-WEEDS, or CRAZY-WEEDS, leguminous plants, chiefly species of Astragalus and Lupinus, which produce a disease in cattle known as " loco-disease." The name is apparently taken from the Spanish loco, mad. The disease affects the nervous system of the animals eating the plants, and is accompanied by exhaustion and wasting. End of Article: LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA (Gr. a, priv., and -rafts, order; synonyms, Tubes dorsalis, posterior spinal sclerosis) If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/LOB_LUP/LOCOMOTOR_ATAXIA_Gr_a_priv_and.html"> LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA (Gr. a, priv., and -rafts, ord... </a> |
|
|
(Previous) LOCOMOTIVE |
(Next) LOCRI |
Jesus Christ Saves Ministries, P.O. Box 70696, Pasadena, CA 91117JCSM is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Copyright © 1997-present. |
Free & Cheap Cell
Phones |
Cheap Long Distance
Phone Service Carriers |
Talk America Local Phone Service
|
Ztel & MCI - Unlimited Long Distance
Compare
Cell Phone Plans & Companies |
International Calling Cards & Prepaid Phone Cards |
Voice Over IP Broadband Internet Phone
Service | Wireless
Phone Plans & Cheap Cell Phones
|
_____________________________________________________________________________
