Paralysis
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"Paralysed" redirects here. For other uses, see Paralysed
(disambiguation) and Paralysis (disambiguation).
"Paralytic" redirects here. For the gene, see Paralytic (gene).
Not to be confused with Spasticity, Sensory loss, Numbness, Hemiparesis,
or Spastic hemiplegia.
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Paralysis
Specialty Neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry
Paralysis (also known as plegia) is a loss of motor function in one or
more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss)
in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. In the United
States, roughly 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed with some form of
permanent or transient paralysis.[1] The word comes from the Greek παράλυσις,
"disabling of the nerves",[2] itself from παρά (para), "beside, by"[3] and λύσις (lysis),
"making loose".[4] A paralysis accompanied by involuntary tremors is usually
called "palsy".[5][6]
Contents
1Causes
2Variations
3Other animals
o 3.1Invertebrates
o 3.2Vertebrates
4See also
5References
6External links
Causes[edit]
Paralysis is most often caused by damage in the nervous system, especially
the spinal cord. Other major causes are stroke, trauma with nerve
injury, poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's
disease, ALS, botulism, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, and Guillain–Barré
syndrome. Temporary paralysis occurs during REM sleep, and dysregulation of
this system can lead to episodes of waking paralysis. Drugs that interfere
with nerve function, such as curare, can also cause paralysis.
Pseudoparalysis (pseudo- meaning "false, not genuine", from Greek ψεῦδος [7]) is
voluntary restriction or inhibition of motion because of pain, incoordination,
orgasm, or other cause, and is not due to actual muscular paralysis. [8] In an infant,
it may be a symptom of congenital syphilis.[9] Pseudoparalysis can be caused by
extreme mental stresses, and is a common feature of mental disorders such
as panic anxiety disorder.[10]
Variations[edit]
Paralysis can occur in localised or generalised forms, or it may follow a certain
pattern. Most paralyses caused by nervous-system damage (e.g., spinal cord
injuries) are constant in nature; however, some forms of periodic paralysis,
including sleep paralysis, are caused by other factors.[11] [12]
Paralysis can occur in newborns due to a congenital defect known as spina
bifida. Spina bifida causes one or more of the vertebrae to fail to form vertebral
arches within the infant, which allows the spinal cord to protrude from the rest of
the spine. In extreme cases, this can cause spinal cord function inferior to the
missing vertebral arches to cease.[12] This cessation of spinal cord function can
result in paralysis of lower extremities. Documented cases of paralysis of the
anal sphincter in newborns have been observed when spina bifida has gone
untreated.[11] While life-threatening, many cases of spina bifida can be corrected
surgically if operated on within 72 hours of birth.
Ascending paralysis presents in the lower limbs before the upper limbs. It can
be associated with:
Guillain–Barré syndrome (another name for this condition is Landry's
ascending paralysis)
Tick paralysis[13]
Ascending paralysis contrasts with descending paralysis, which occurs in
conditions such as botulism.
Other animals[edit]
Many animal species use paralysing toxins to capture prey, evade predation, or
both. It was shown that in stimulated muscles the decrease in frequency of the
miniature potentials runs parallel to the decrease in postsynaptic potential as well
as to the decrease in muscle contraction. In invertebrates, this clearly indicates
that, e.g., Microbracon (wasp genus) venom causes paralysis of the
neuromuscular system by acting at a presynaptic site. Philanthus venom inhibits
the fast as well as the slow neuromuscular system at identical concentrations. It
causes a decrease in the frequency of the miniature potentials without affecting
their amplitude significantly.
Invertebrates[edit]
Some species of wasp, to complete the reproductive cycle, the female wasp
paralyses a prey item such as a grasshopper and places it in her nest. In the
species Philanthus gibbosus, the paralysed insect (most often a bee species) is
coated in a thick layer of pollen. The adult P. gibbosus then lays eggs in the
paralysed insect, which is devoured by the larvae when they hatch.[14]
Vertebrates[edit]
A well-known example is the tetrodotoxin of fish species such as Takifugu
rubripes, the famously lethal pufferfish of Japanese fugu. This toxin works by
binding to sodium channels in nerve cells, preventing the cells' proper function. A
non-lethal dose of this toxin results in temporary paralysis. This toxin is also
present in many other species ranging from toads to nemerteans.
Paralysis can be seen in breeds of dogs that are chondrodysplastic. These dogs
have short legs, and may also have short muzzles. Their intervertebral disc
material can calcify and become more brittle. In such cases, the disc may
rupture, with disc material ending up in the spinal canal, or rupturing more
laterally to press on spinal nerves. A minor rupture may only result in paresis, but
a major rupture can cause enough damage to cut off circulation. If no signs of
pain can be elicited, surgery should be performed within 24 hours of the incident,
to remove the disc material and relieve pressure on the spinal cord. After
24 hours, the chance of recovery declines rapidly, since with continued pressure,
the spinal cord tissue deteriorates and dies.
Another type of paralysis is caused by a fibrocartilaginous embolism. This is a
microscopic piece of disc material that breaks off and becomes lodged in a spinal
artery. Nerves served by the artery will die when deprived of blood.
The German Shepherd Dog is especially prone to developing
degenerative myelopathy. This is a deterioration of nerves in the spinal cord,
starting in the posterior part of the cord. Dogs so affected will become gradually
weaker in the hind legs as nerves die off. Eventually, their hind legs become
useless. They often also exhibit faecal and urinary incontinence. As the disease
progresses, the paresis and paralysis gradually move forward. This disease also
affects other large breeds of dogs. It is suspected to be an autoimmune problem.
Cats with a heart murmur may develop blood clots that travel through arteries. If
a clot is large enough to block one or both femoral arteries, there may be hind leg
paralysis because the major source of blood flow to the hind leg is blocked.
Many snakes exhibit powerful neurotoxins that can cause non-permanent
paralysis or death. Also, many trees contain neurotoxins.
See also[edit]
Spinal cord injuries
Paraplegia
Quadriplegia
Hemiparesis
Monoplegia
Muscle relaxant
Sleep paralysis
Beriberi
Neuroprosthetics
Brain-computer interface
Tonic immobility
Cerebral palsy
Cobra Toxin
Obdormition
Narcolepsy
Cataplexy
References[edit]
1. ^ "Paralysis Facts & Figures - Spinal Cord Injury - Paralysis Research Center".
Christopherreeve.org. Retrieved 2013-02-19.
2. ^ Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940). "παράλυσις". A Greek-English
Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press. on Perseus
3. ^ Liddell & Scott 1940, παρά
4. ^ Liddell & Scott 1940, λύσις
5. ^ "Palsy". OxfordDictionaries.com. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
6. ^ "Palsy". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
7. ^ Liddell & Scott 1940, ψεῦδος
8. ^ TheFreeDictionary > pseudoparalysis, in turn citing The American Heritage Medical
Dictionary 2007, 2004
9. ^ Workowski KA, Berman SM (August 2006). "Sexually transmitted diseases
treatment guidelines, 2006". MMWR Recomm Rep. 55 (RR–11): 1–94. PMID 16888612. ...
evidence of congenital syphilis (e.g., nonimmune hydrops, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly,
rhinitis, skin rash, and/or pseudoparalysis of an extremity).
10. ^ "anxiety-panic.com". anxiety-panic.com.
11. ^ Jump up to:a b Hutchinson, Jonathan (1877). "Clinical Lecture On Cases Of Spina
Bifida, With Paralysis Of Sphincters". The British Medical Journal. 1 (830): 767–
768. JSTOR 25244879. PMC 2220916. PMID 20748563.
12. ^ Jump up to:a b Saladin, Kenneth (2012). Anatomy and Physiology: Form and
Function. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-337825-1.
13. ^ MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Tick paralysis
14. ^ Colman, D. R.; Toolson, E. C.; Takacs-Vesbach, C. D. (2012-10-01). "Do diet and
taxonomy influence insect gut bacterial communities?". Molecular Ecology. 21 (20): 5124–
5137. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05752.x. ISSN 1365-294X. PMID 22978555.
