May 2024

Learn about ALS and how we can help.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that disrupt nerve cells in the central nervous system such as the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their atrophy. When the motor neurons die, the brain can no longer initiate and control muscle movement. When voluntary muscle action is progressively affected, devastating symptoms arise.

What are Signs & Symptoms of ALS?

Signs and Symptoms of ALS can be identified by early onset of

symptoms such as:

• Muscle twitches in the arm, leg, shoulder, or tongue.

   

• Muscle cramps tight and stiff muscles (spasticity).

   

• As the disease progresses, muscle weakness and atrophy spread to other parts of the body. Individuals may develop problems with moving, swallowing (called dysphagia), speaking or forming words (dysarthria), and breathing (dyspnea).

Familial v. Sporadic ALS

The term "familial" ALS means that there is more than one occurrence of the disease in a family. The term "sporadic" applies when there is no known history of other family members with the disease. ALS is caused by interplay of various molecular pathways in motor neurons and an interaction with neighboring non-neuronal cells like microglia and astrocytes. 90% ALS are sporadic cases with no clear genetic linkage. However, the remaining 10% of cases show familial inheritance.

Stem Cell Research

for ALS

Photo credit given to the ALS Association.

Stem cells can be thought of as cells that are in the very early stages of development, before they become specialized (differentiated) to

perform specific roles in tissues. They may be precursors to a specific cell

types (such as muscle or nerve cells), or they may still retain pluripotency the ability to develop into any cell types. Stem cell research is an evolving field that may potentially benefit people affected by neuromuscular

disease. There are many different types of stem cells used in biological research.

How We Can Help