Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is also called:

• Lou Gehrig disease (named after the famous baseball player who was diagnosed with ALS)
• Charcot disease
• Motor neuron disease (MND)
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dementia

For every 100,000 people, approximately 4-8 have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This seems to be the same around the world, with the exception of specific groups in Guam, a country in the South Pacific, and the Kii Peninsula of Japan. These regions have a higher rate of a type of ALS called ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex (ALS-PDC), which is a rare, hereditary form.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be difficult to diagnose because early signs and symptoms can look like other disorders that affect the nerves and muscles. Most people with ALS initially notice weakness in their hands and legs, slurred or unclear speech, trouble swallowing and muscle problems (twitching, cramping, stiffness or weakness). Your doctor can order tests, including a neurological examination and studies of the nerves and muscles, to rule out other conditions and confirm a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is typically abbreviated as ALS.

There are two types of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): acquired and familial. People who have familial ALS develop the disease because they have inherited genetic changes that cause the disease. As a result, familial ALS cannot be prevented because we cannot control which genes we have. About 5-10% of ALS is familial. Most people who have ALS have the acquired type, meaning that it does not seem to be caused by a single genetic change and may be the result of environmental and other factors. It has been suggested that some environmental factors can make someone more likely to develop ALS. These environmental factors include exposure to heavy metals like mercury and lead, toxic/infectious agents like pesticides, specific types of head trauma, or occupational factors. There are also ongoing studies in United States veterans to determine if military-related exposures have contributed to ALS in that population. However, none of these has been conclusively demonstrated to be a significant cause of all sporadic ALS so there are no specific measures that can eliminate the risk for ALS altogether.

Limb-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is when initial signs and symptoms are weakness in the hands/feet or loss of balance. Most people experience limb-onset ALS. Bulbar-onset ALS is when initial signs and symptoms are slurring words/having trouble talking clearly. 25% of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have bulbar-onset ALS. The first area of symptoms does not appear to correlate with a specific cause of ALS.