What Causes Muscle Atrophy?

Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury can lead to muscle atrophy, particularly when it causes paralysis. With paralysis, an individual's nerves are unable to send the signals to their muscles to move, making it impossible or very difficult to move certain parts of the body. Paralyzed individuals can experience muscle atrophy because of their inability to use their muscles, though there are some treatments to help with this. Peripheral nerve injuries can also lead to muscle wasting when they cause paralysis or loss of feeling. The peripheral nervous system encompasses all the nerves that branch out from the spinal cord and into the rest of the body. In addition to muscle atrophy, patients with spinal cord injuries often experience a loss in bone density. This loss of bone density makes individuals more susceptible to fractures. Some patients with spinal cord injuries have experienced fractures during movements as simple as transitioning from a wheelchair to their bed. Some treatments used include standing and electrical stimulation with cycling, walking, and resistance training.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative illness affecting the spinal cord and brain. It is a terminal and chronic illness that causes patients to lose control of their voluntary muscles over time, including the nerves that control limb movements, swallowing, and speech. Researchers have not found a cure for ALS. Because Lou Gehrig, a famous baseball player, received an ALS diagnosis in 1939, this condition has also become known as Lou Gehrig's disease. There are two classifications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Around five to ten percent of cases are classified as familial, meaning genetics are the cause, so individuals who have a family member with ALS typically have a higher likelihood of developing. However, ninety to ninety-five percent of cases are sporadic and no cause is known for these cases. Some theories indicate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may be influenced by immune responses that target motor neurons, free radical damage, buildups of abnormal proteins in the nerve cells, or imbalances in an individual's glutamate levels.

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