Glossary of ALS-Related Medical and Scientific Terms

(Presented by The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Select a letter from the list above.

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familial ALS A progressive neurological disease that affects more than one member of the same family. This type of ALS accounts for a very small number of people with ALS in the United States (5 to 10 percent).

fasciculation Small, involuntary, irregular, visible contractions of individual muscle fibers. Often seen in the legs, arms and shoulders of PALS. This is often described by people with ALS as "persistent rolling beneath the skin."

FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the branch of federal government which approves new drugs for sale.

FDA 2000 FDA 2000 project is a library of FDA approved compounds based on assay studies completed by Steve Gullans at Harvard.

festination Walking with a series of quick, small, shuffling steps as if hurrying forward to keep balance.

flaccid muscles (also hypotonicity) A condition characterized by a decrease or loss of normal muscle tone due to the deterioration of the lower motor nerve cells.

flexor muscle Any muscle that causes the bending of a limb or other body part.

formulation chemistry Formulation is a process by which a compound is prepared in a suitable form for administration to animals or human being depending on the dose, route and target tissue.

free radicals Chemicals that are highly reactive and can oxidize other molecules (i.e. Superoxide).

functional genomics Functional genomics is the area of genetics that focuses on determining the function of genetic information present in a cell or its “genome function".

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