Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a devastating, progressive, neurodegenerative disease that causes severe disability and typically is fatal after 3 to 5 years. ALS is the most common adult motor-neuron disease with an incidence of 4-6 in 100,000. There are a few approved drugs for ALS but their effect is relatively mild and they do not cure the disease. The mechanisms responsible for the pathophysiology are not well understood. Mutations linked to familial ALS (see below) have been helpful in exploring the processes that cause the disease.

Refer also to Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.