Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neuron cells in the spinal cord and ... more about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A motor neuron disease involving progressive degeneration and eventual destruction of the function of nerves that control voluntary movement. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is available below.

Symptoms of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Muscle weakness
• Initial symptoms depend on which muscles affected first
• Tripping
• Falling
• Loss of motor control in hands and arms

See full list of 28 symptoms of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Medical Textbooks Online about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

• Misdiagnosis of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Causes of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Read more about causes of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Treatments for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Riluzole
• Supportive treatments

Read more about treatments for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Videos for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Patient Surveys for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Patient Profile Survey
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Prognosis for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Prognosis for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Poor. Degenerative. Non-curable. Usually fatal within 5 years.

More about prognosis of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Reseach about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Visit our research pages for current research about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis include:

• Clinical Trial of High Dose CoQ10 in ALS - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - coenzyme Q10
• Early Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) With Nutrition and Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Study of Myobloc in the Treatment of Sialorrhea (Drooling) in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Botulinum toxin type B (Myobloc)
• Determinants of Disease Severity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Phase II Study of Leuprolide and Testosterone for Men With Kennedy's Disease or Other Motor Neuron Disease - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - leuprolide,testosterone

See full list of 102 Clinical Trials for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Medical statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Society statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Symptom statistics for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Icon Health Sourcebook for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

See all guides and ebooks for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Stories from Users Related to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

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• What is the best treatment for this?
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Article Excerpts about Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology (Excerpt)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neuron cells in the spinal cord and brain, which ultimately results in paralysis and death. The disease takes its less-scientific name from Lou Gehrig, a baseball player with the New York Yankees in the late 1920s and 1930s, who was forced to retire in 1939 as a result of the loss of motor control caused by the disease. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

NINDS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neurological disease affecting as many as 20,000 Americans with 5,000 new cases occurring in the United States each year. The disorder belongs to a class of disorders known as motor neuron diseases. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Information Page: NINDS)

Definitions of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:

Progressive degeneration of the neurons that give rise to the corticospinal tract and of the motor cells of the brain stem and spinal cord, resulting in a deficit of upper and lower motor neurons. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Thickening of tissue in the motor tracts of the lateral columns and anterior horns of the spinal cord; results in progressive muscle atrophy that starts in the limbs - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or a subtype of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet