There are three common classifications, and numerous sub-categories: Sporadic: the most common form of ALS/MND Familial: less than 10% of ALS/MND cases suggest genetic inheritance Guamanian: a high number of cases of ALS/MND occur in Guam and the Trust Territories of the Pacific

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a.k.a Motor Neuron Disease-is a rapidly progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease. It attacks motor neurons in the spinal cord and lower brain which transmit signals from the brain to the voluntary muscles throughout the body. When motor neurons die as a result of ALS, the ability of the brain to control muscle movement is lost. When muscles fail to receive messages, they weaken, atrophy, and die. There is no known cure.

The groups of muscles affected and the order in which they are affected varies from one person to another. Early symptoms usually include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches and uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying. The hands and feet may be affected first, causing difficulty in walking or using the hands for the activities of daily living such as dressing, washing and buttoning clothes.

Anyone can get ALS/MND. Most who develop ALS/MND are between the ages of 40 and 70. There are, however, cases of the disease attacking persons in their twenties and thirties. Generally though, ALS/MND occurs in greater percentages as men and women grow older. ALS/MND strikes men slightly more frequently than women. About one in 800 adult men, and one in 1,200 adult women die of ALS/MND. ALS/MND occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries.

The cause of ALS/MND is not yet known. While many theories are being researched, at present neither a cure nor a means of prevention is known. In 1993, scientists announced in a paper published in the British journal "Nature" that they had isolated the gene associated with about 20% of the cases of the inherited form of the disease.

ALS/MND cannot be "caught" - it is not contagious. Though some scientists believe it is possible that ALS/MND is caused by a slow-acting or latent "virus", there is absolutely no fear that it is contagious: there is no increased incidence among medical personnel who deal with ALS/MND patients.

ALS/MND wreaks a devastating effect on patients as well as their families. As they struggle to cope with the prospect of advancing disability and death, it consumes their emotional and financial reserves. It is a costly disease in its later stages, demanding both extensive nursing care and expensive equipment. But there is always hope. Recent medical discoveries have led to new drugs which seem to slow the progression of the disease.

ALS MND Alliance - What Is ALS/MND?What Is ALS/MND? Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is an all embracing term used to cover a number of illnesses of the motor neurone. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS ... Thu, 07 DHMC | Media Services | Living with Terminal Illness: ALS DiseaseWhen the Blues Get you Down: Depression; The ABC's of STD's: Straight Talk about Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Overcoming Eating Disorders: A Recipe for Life; Defusing Teenage ..

The most common type is called sporadic ALS. This type of ALS is not hereditary and accounts for 90% of ALS cases. Familial ALS is hereditary, is passed on by a dominant gene and accounts for nearly 10% of ALS cases. The third type of ALS is called Guamian and is related to the high incidence of ALS on the island nation of Guam.

A normal population produces about 2 new cases per 100,000 every year. (A 1995 Dalhousie University Study found in that there was a 2.03 per 100,000 population incidence in Nova Scotia. As ALS/MND is considered terminal and incurable, death rates are very close to incidence rates.) According to the United States National Institute of Health, some 5,000 people in the USA are newly diagnosed with ALS each year. That's about 13 new cases every day.

present there is no definitive means of diagnosis of ALS/MND. Most diagnoses are made by eliminating all other possibilities - ailments with symptoms resembling those of ALS/MND. Neurologists use a number of clinical tests to establish a profile, including blood testing, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans and EMGs (Electro Myographs).

Anyone can get ALS/MND. Most who develop ALS/MND are between the ages of 40 and 70. There are, however, cases of the disease attacking persons in their twenties and thirties. Generally though, ALS/MND occurs in greater percentages as men and women grow older. ALS/MND strikes men slightly more frequently than women. About one in 800 adult men, and one in 1,200 adult women die of ALS/MND. ALS/MND occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries.

ALS/MND was first described in 1869 by Jean-Martin Charcot, an innovative French neurologist. The disease was first known as "Maladie de Charcot".

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease, first identified in 1869 by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the 1990's have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding about the physiology of this disease.

present there is no definitive means of diagnosis of ALS/MND. Most diagnoses are made by eliminating all other possibilities--ailments whose symptoms resemble those of ALS/MND. Neurologists use a number of clinical tests to establish a profile, including blood testing, EMG, MRI, etc;

Some of the pain ALS may cause are pressure sores, muscle aches or cramps, swelling feet, and muscle contractions.

Comedo (whiteheads or blackheads) or papules. The comedo is the basic acne lesion, which is a plugged pore. If the plugged pore stays under the skin, it's called a closed comedo and forms a white bump or whitehead. Blackheads are comedos that open up and appear blackish on the surface of the skin. This black color is not due to dirt, but because the air reacts with the excess oil. Nodules. These are more serious acne lesions. They lodge deeper in the skin, are painful, and can cause scarring.

Stress incontinence occurs when you sneeze, cough, laugh, jog, or do other activities that put pressure on your bladder . It is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women. Urge incontinence, also called overactive bladder, occurs when the sensation to urinate is so strong that you cannot reach the toilet in time, even when your bladder contains only a small amount of urine.

Soft, large - these are associated with age, and may enlarge, and may predispose to macular degeneration.

Most strokes are caused by a blood clot or a narrowing of a blood vessel (artery) leading to the brain, known as ichemic stroke. Other strokes are caused by a hemorrhage (bleeding) from an artery in the brain itself, known as hemorrhagic stroke.

Atopic eczema is the commonest form of eczema and is closely linked with asthma and hayfever. It can affect both children and adults, usually running in families. One of the most common symptoms of atopic eczema is its itchiness (or pruritis), which can be almost unbearable. Other symptoms include overall dryness of the skin, redness and inflammation. Constant scratching can also cause the skin to split, leaving it prone to infection.