Glossary / Lexicon

ALS is the abbreviations of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis which refers to the disease of the Motor System in which people experience a gradual to total loss of muscle Control and musc le function.

Moreover, ALS is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes degeneration of the nerve cells that control the movement of voluntary muscles (the motor neurons). These cells extend from the brain to the spinal cord (the upper motor neuron) and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body (the lower motor neurons). The disease causes the motor neurons to degenerate and eventually die. As they die, the corresponding muscles become paralysed.

ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.