Heritage Catalog - Gehrig and ALS
 

I was a bit disappointed to see Heritage’s recent catalog raising the “did Lou Gehrig really die of ALS” issue again. And some additional window dressing that “many in the medical community wonder” if the diagnosis of ALS was correct.

Yes he did. And no “many” don’t believe that.

A review of Gehrig medical records makes clear that Gehrig died of what we now call ALS. One researcher brought up the argument around 2010 I believe that maybe he died of traumatic brain injury and my understanding is that subsequent analysis and review by others has dismissed the idea that it wasn’t ALS.

What Gehrig’s demise has shined a light on is the notion that traumatic brain injury may be a risk factor for ALS. And it might be a significant risk factor. But that’s separate from the issue of what disease took his life.

That’s my understanding. I am not a doctor but that’s what the body of reported science on the issue I’ve seen suggests.

It wasn't "one researcher", it was a group from the Boston University School of Medicine Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. And there's no "review of Gehrig's medical records" since the Mayo Clinic sealed them. And he was cremated so there's no way to confirm it now.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/...ehrigs-disease

https://www.juliestamm.com/blog/brai...neuron-disease

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And a card for this thread.
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i love this pose...

Thanks for the links.

I still think “many believe” is a bit hyperbolic. A group or researchers came out with a study that some people said looked interesting and others said be careful to draw conclusions from. That’s how science works.

I recall an article of a leading Dr who reviewed the reported information about how treatment and condition (prob not medical records) who said he believed it was ALS.

QUOTE=Tabe;2411414]It wasn't "one researcher", if was a group from the

Boston University School of Medicine Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. And there's no "review of Gehrig's medical records" since the Mayo Clinic sealed them. And he was cremated so there's no way to confirm it now.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/...ehrigs-disease

https://www.juliestamm.com/blog/brai...neuron-disease[/QUOTE]

This is from the cited article: “ And that bring us back to Lou Gehrig. It is clear that a disease with ALS symptoms took his life, but the underlying pathology that caused his symptoms has been questioned by experts in recent years. Given his long history of brain trauma, it is possible that he may not have had ALS, the disease that is named after him, he may have had CTE with the motor neuron disease. But without the ability to examine his brain and spinal cord, we will never know. ”

The last sentence pretty much sums up everything. Pete, your photo is very fitting for the thread. The company that made that stereoview is now a medical device company.

Here is the criteria to diagnose CTE in a living individual:

To be diagnosed with TES under these new criteria, an individual must have: substantial exposure to repetitive head impacts from contact sports, military service, or other causes (e.g., a minimum of five years of organized American football, with two or more of those years played at the high school level or beyond); and a progressive course of cognitive impairment (specifically in episodic or “short-term” memory and/or executive functioning, such as planning, organization, judgment, and multi-tasking) or neurobehavioral dysregulation (including explosiveness, impulsivity, rage, violent outbursts, and emotional lability) or both. Moreover, the criteria require that other neurologic, psychiatric, or medical conditions cannot be fully responsible for these clinical problems, although other neurologic and psychiatric conditions may be diagnosed together with TES.

Based on this Gehrig did NOT have CTE.

Having Lou Gehrig's name attached to ALS has no doubt raised it's profile as a disease and I would think there is also little doubt that funding for the disease is helped by the association. I understand truth is truth but I don't think it would help ALS research or funding if it were no longer associated with Gehrig.