Competency (Conditions and Screenings)

ALS in professional terms

Progressive degeneration of frontal lobe and upper and lower motor neurons within the body; this causes nerve cells to break down and muscles to weaken over time, leading to paralysis of all muscles

ALS in layman’s terms

The neurons in your brain tell your muscles to move. Over time these neurons start to break down, which is causing difficulty getting your muscles to move. Your muscles will progressively get weaker and weaker until they are not able to be moved at all.

Screens for ALS

Dynamometer, short term memory, balance

What part of the brain is affected in ALS?

Primary motor cortex in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe

Parkinson’s in professional terms

Progressive degeneration of the basal ganglia in the substantial nigra. Dopamine is no longer produced. This condition affects the brain and nervous system causing issues with movement, cognition and behavior

Parkinson’s in Layman’s terms

This condition affects the part of your brain that tells your body what to do and how to do it. This leads to difficulties with movements, like walking or gipping. It can make movements slow or shaky. This condition can also affect your memory as it progresses.

Screens for Parkinsons

Short term memory, balance, and intention tremor

Parts of the brain affected in Parkinson’s

Basal ganglia

Huntington’s in professional terms

Degenerative disorder that affects the cerebral cortex, nerves breakdown and causes involuntary movements

Huntington’s in layman’s terms

The nerves in your brain tell your muscles to move. Over time, these nerves start to breakdown and they tell you muscles to do things that you weren’t planning on doing. So your muscles move without your brain telling them to.

Screens for Huntington’s

Short term memory, Depression, Saccades, Balance

Parts of the brain affected by Huntington’s

Basal ganglia, frontal lobe, temporal lobe

Middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke in professional terms

An interruption of blood flow to the brain that affects the middle cerebral artery. This supplies blood to the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and parts of the temporal lobe. These areas are important for controlling movement, sensation, speech, and vision.

Middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke in layman’s terms

The arteries in your body take blood to your brain. Your brain needs the nutrients and contents of that blood to survive. In your case, that blood flow got blocked, which meant that your brain was not getting the food it needs. This happened in the (right/left) side of your brain, which controls the (right/left) side of the body and other functions like sensation on the skin, speech and vision.

Screens for an MCA

light touch, depression and Vision