What does ALS stand for?
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the nervous system. In ALS, motor neurons (nerves), which control voluntary muscle movement in the body (they tell the muscles what to do), deterioriate over time leading to muscle weakness and atrophy (wasting away). The rate of disease progression can vary widely from person to person, and it can be slow, moderate, or rapid. The disease can affect muscles used for hand and arm activities, walking and moving about, swallowing, talking, and breathing. In the later stages of the illness, the afflicted person may become totally paralyzed.
