Final answer:
Lucindas' Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) led to muscle weakening and paralysis due to the degeneration of motor neurons. ALS disrupts signals to voluntary muscles, resulting in muscle atrophy, and ultimately escalates to paralysis. Patient cognitive functions typically remain intact, leading to a conscious awareness of the condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lucindas' Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) resulted in increasing muscle weakness as the motor neurons in her spinal cord degenerated. ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, causes neurodegeneration of the motor neurons that are responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. This degeneration leads to muscle atrophy and escalates to paralysis as the disease progresses. In ALS, the calcium dysregulation plays a crucial role, leading to the selective degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and motor cortex.
Initially, this condition involves muscle weakening and impacts coordination. Over time, as the lateral portions of the spine responsible for muscle movement harden, signals to the muscles are disrupted. The loss of muscle nourishment and the inability of the spine to communicate with muscles ultimately culminate in paralysis, while cognitive functions typically remain intact, which can be psychologically devastating.
It's also important to note that ALS affects sensory neurons, which adds to the complexity of patient experiences as they may become 'locked-in', fully aware but unable to move or communicate without the aid of special technologies that allow communication through minimal muscle actions, such as twitching a cheek.