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  1. Rylan Clavell’s project on ALS covers how the neuron is damaged though the disease. In normal neurons the synapse allow certain signals through to the dendrite which he equated this phenomenon to a fire wall, once the signal is though the synapse or fire wall it moves to the dendrites the signal goes to the cell body for this step he represents the dendrites to a router sending signals to the rest of the system. Once the dendrites go to axon hillocks equated to a switch the junctions between cell body and axon. Then finally to the nucleus which he represented as a PC it is where all the general data or genetic makeup is stored and this is the process of neuron transition. In the case of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS) early stages backwards though the system of the neuron, in early cases there is misfiring in the cell body. Then in slightly later stages the misfiring goes to the axon hillock which breaks down communication of the cell body and axon. Then in later severe cases the synapse itself starts to misfire and shows severe cases of paralysis. This progressive neurodegenerative disease is lethal and slowly pulls apart the person’s physical ability. 90% of cases have no discernible genetic causes and only 10% have a genetic component.

    Nora Hopkins

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