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What is ALS?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease,
is a progressive neuromuscular disease.
ALS is characterized by a progressive degeneration of motor nerve cells
in the brain (upper motor neurons) and spinal cord (lower motor neurons).
When the motor neurons can no longer send impulses to the muscles, the
muscles begin to waste away (atrophy), causing increased muscle weakness.
ALS does not affect impair a person's intellectual reasoning, vision,
hearing or sense of taste, smell and touch. In most cases, ALS does not
affect a person's sexual, bowel or bladder functions.
ALS is often referred to as a syndrome because the disease becomes apparent
in various patterns. ALS occurs rarely and spontaneously. Currently, there
is no cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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