Alternative Names
Lou Gehrig’s disease; ALS; Upper and lower motor neuron disease; Motor neuron disease
Definition of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
In about 10% of cases, ALS is caused by a genetic defect. In the remaining cases, the cause is unknown.
Symptoms
Symptoms usually do not develop until after age 50, but they can start in younger people. Persons with ALS have a loss of muscle strength and coordination that eventually gets worse and makes it impossible to do routine tasks such as going up steps, getting out of a chair, or swallowing.
Signs and tests
The health care provider will take a medical history, which includes strength and endurance.
Treatment
There is no known cure for ALS. The first drug treatment for the disease is a medicine called riluzole. Riluzole slows the disease progression and prolongs life.
Expectations (prognosis)
Over time, people with ALS progressively lose the ability to function and care for themselves. Death often occurs within 3 – 5 years of diagnosis. About 25% of patients survive for more than 5 years after diagnosis.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 8/27/2010
