Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (abbreviated ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease) is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease of the brain, resulting in the degeneration and loss of brain and spinal motor neurons, that is, the cells of the central nervous system that control voluntarily influenced muscle movements. Because of this, gradual muscle weakness leading to atrophy occurs. In the end, the brain becomes unable to control most muscles, and the patient remains paralyzed while retaining psychological and mental abilities. The origin of the disease is unknown.

Three forms of ALS are distinguished: sporadic, familial, and Guam. The most common is the sporadic form; the familial form (5–10%) presupposes a more frequent occurrence within a family, that is, a hereditary origin. The third form refers to the extraordinary occurrence of the disease on the Pacific island of Guam in the 1950s.

Symptoms of the early form of ALS include increased muscle weakness, especially in the arms and legs, impairment of speech, swallowing, and breathing. The incidence of the disease is 1:50,000, while the prevalence is 1:17,000. The speed at which the disease progresses is individual. The average duration is reported as 2–4.3 years, with approximately 25% of patients surviving five years, 8–16% ten years, and 5% living twenty years.

Treatment:

There is no known causal treatment for ALS. Available medications focus primarily on alleviating symptoms and preventing complications. Certain hopes are placed in treatment with the help of mesenchymal stem cells. Several scientific studies have found a statistical correlation between ALS and certain agricultural pesticides.

The disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, received its name from the famous New York Yankees baseball player Lou Gehrig, who was diagnosed with ALS in 1939. Among the notable persons affected by ALS are guitarist Jason Becker, Stephen Hawking, and Slovak footballer Marián Čišovský.

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