Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a rapidly progressive, fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles.
What is it?:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a rapidly progressive, fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. It is known as a motor neuron disease that is characterized as the gradual degrading of and death of motor neurons.
Motor Neuron are nerve cells. These cells are found in the brain and the spinal chord. They are controlling units and communication links between the nervous system and the voluntary muscles of the body. With ALS, the motor neurons that transmit messages through the spinal chord to muscles degrade ending messages to the muscles. Without this connection muscles begin to weaken and lose strength. After many years with ALS, the motor neurons completely degrade and the ability for the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost.
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