Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nervous system; around 400,000 people live with it worldwide.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nervous system, the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
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Worldwide, approximately 400,000 people live with ALS, and around 100,000 die from it every year. In Europe, it affects around 50,000 people, according to the patient association ALS Liga.
The prevalence is estimated at between two and six people per 100,000, and the disease is slightly more common in men than women.
Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 55 and 75, and typically live from two to five years after the symptoms develop.
But it can occur earlier. Actor Eric Dane passed away on Thursday at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with ALS, less than a year after announcing his diagnosis.
ALS targets the motor neurons, the nerve cells that regulate voluntary movements, preventing the messages from the brain from reaching the muscles.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of ALS vary from person to person, depending on which nerve cells are affected.
The first symptom is generally muscle weakness, which gradually spreads and gets worse over time.
Other common symptoms include: trouble walking or doing daily activities, weakness in the legs, feet or ankles, hand weakness, slurred speech, or trouble swallowing.
ALS often starts in the extremities, hands, feet, arms, or legs, before spreading to other parts of the body.
What are the types of ALS?
Depending on the part of the body where the disease first manifests, it can be classified into three types: leg, arm, or mouth and throat type.
Based on its cause, it can be categorised into two types.
Sporadic ALS, which accounts for 90 percent of the cases, occurs randomly and with an unknown cause, according to the non-profit academic medical centre Cleveland Clinic.
Familial ALS, which makes up around 10 percent of the cases, is caused by inherited gene changes passed down in the family.
What are the treatments?
Although there is no cure for ALS, there are treatments that can slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life.
These include medication, therapy, rehabilitation, and nutritional and breathing support.
