Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
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| - | '''Neurodegenerative [[disease]]''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] νέυρο-, ''néuro-'', "nerval" and [[Latin]] ''dēgenerāre'', "to decline" or "to worsen") is a condition in which cells of the brain and spinal cord are lost. The brain and spinal cord are composed of neurons that do different functions such as controlling movements, processing sensory information, and making decisions. Cells of the brain and spinal cord are not readily regenerated ''en masse'', so excessive damage can be devastating. Neurodegenerative diseases result from deterioration of [[neuron]]s or their myelin sheath which over time will lead to dysfunction and disabilities resulting from this. They are crudely divided into two groups according to phenotypic effects, although these are not mutually exclusive: | + | '''Bovine spongiform encephalopathy''' ('''BSE'''), commonly known as '''mad cow disease''', is a fatal [[neurodegenerative disease]] ([[encephalopathy]]) in [[cattle]] that causes a spongy degeneration in the [[brain]] and [[spinal cord]]. BSE has a long [[incubation period]], about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of four to five years, all [[breed]]s being equally susceptible. |
| - | # conditions causing problems with movements, such as [[ataxia]] | + | |
| - | # conditions affecting [[memory]] and related to [[dementia]] | + | |
| - | Some proteins, called [[prions]], suffer post-translational modification(s) that change their shape so that they no longer perform their cellular functions and instead trigger equivalent modifications in normal proteins, thus creating a cascade of damage that eventually results in significant neurodegeneration. In humans, this can cause [[Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease]] or variant CJD (Mad Cow Disease). | + | == See also == |
| - | + | * [[Health crisis]] | |
| - | Normally, neurodegeneration begins long before the patient experiences any symptoms. It can be months or years before any effect is felt. Symptoms are noticed when many cells die or cease to function and a part of the brain begins to fail. | + | * [[Meat on the bone]] |
| - | + | * [[Beef hormone controversy]]--> | |
| - | Regulation, or production of [[microglia]] by the [[immune system]], in a process of neuroinflammation, is currently being rigorously studied for its role in neurodegenerative diseases. | + | * [[US beef imports in Japan]] |
| - | + | * [[US beef imports in Taiwan]] | |
| - | ==List of neurodegenerative diseases== | + | * [[US beef imports in South Korea]], [[2008 US beef protest in South Korea]] |
| - | * [[Alcoholism]] | + | * [[Beef war]] |
| - | * [[Alexander's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Alper's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Alzheimer's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] | + | |
| - | * [[Ataxia telangiectasia]] | + | |
| - | * [[Batten disease]] (also known as Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten disease) | + | |
| - | * [[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy]] (BSE) | + | |
| - | * [[Canavan disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Cockayne syndrome]] | + | |
| - | * [[Corticobasal degeneration]] | + | |
| - | * [[Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Frontotemporal lobar degeneration]] | + | |
| - | * [[Huntington's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[HIV-associated dementia]] | + | |
| - | * [[Kennedy's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Krabbe's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Lewy body dementia]] | + | |
| - | * [[Lyme disease|Neuroborreliosis]] | + | |
| - | * [[Machado-Joseph disease]] ([[Spinocerebellar ataxia]] type 3) | + | |
| - | * [[Multiple System Atrophy]] | + | |
| - | * [[Narcolepsy]] | + | |
| - | * [[Niemann Pick disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Parkinson's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Pick's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Primary lateral sclerosis]] | + | |
| - | * [[Prion diseases]] | + | |
| - | * [[Progressive Supranuclear Palsy]] | + | |
| - | * [[Refsum's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Sandhoff's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Schilder's disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord]] secondary to Pernicious Anaemia | + | |
| - | * [[Batten disease|Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten disease]] (also known as '''Batten''' disease) | + | |
| - | * [[Spinocerebellar ataxia]] (multiple types with varying characteristics) | + | |
| - | * [[Spinal muscular atrophy]] | + | |
| - | * [[Steele-Richardson-Olszewski disease]] | + | |
| - | * [[Tabes dorsalis]] | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | These diseases have their own characteristics which usually affect middle aged or older people. They usually worsen over time. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==Treatment== | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Initial treatment is dependent on diagnosis of underlying disorder. At present there are few therapies for the wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. Treatment with [[L-dopa]] can inhibit symptoms of Parkinson's Disease for a short time, but then causes acceleration of the symptoms. Efforts are being made to develop therapies for Alzheimer's Disease that will stabilize cognitive function at the level existing at time of diagnosis and treatment. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Research is highly invested in [[stem cell]] technology and [[stem cell treatments]], as well as [[Gene therapy]]. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Research is underway into [[Biomarker|Bio-Markers]] as part of an attempt to understand the progression of certain types of neurodegenerative disease. In theory, if relevant bio-markers were identified, people could be treated for such diseases prior to onset of symptoms, thus resulting in a significant extension of their normal functional lifespan. As yet, however, the science of bio-markers is in its infancy and consequently diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease tends to occur after the patient has already suffered the majority of the neural damages. | + | |
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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease (encephalopathy) in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of four to five years, all breeds being equally susceptible.
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See also
- Health crisis
- Meat on the bone
- Beef hormone controversy-->
- US beef imports in Japan
- US beef imports in Taiwan
- US beef imports in South Korea, 2008 US beef protest in South Korea
- Beef war
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Bovine spongiform encephalopathy" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
