ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, damages the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. These cells, called motor neurons, run from the brain and spinal cord out to the muscles. When they break down, the brain loses its ability to signal the muscles, and movement, speech, swallowing, and breathing become progressively harder. Many people know […]

ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a motor neuron disease that raises important questions about family risk. About 5 to 10 percent of people with ALS have familial ALS, which means the disease runs in their family due to inherited genetic mutations, while the remaining 90 to 95 percent […]