What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurological disease that leads to progressive paralysis in those affected. It is a neurodegenerative disease of the motor nervous system. This refers to the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for controlling the muscles.

ALS results in progressive paralysis (paresis) or uncontrolled muscle tension (spasticity) of the voluntary motor system. Those muscle groups that can be consciously tensed by the person are referred to as voluntary motor skills. The tongue, pharyngeal muscles, trunk and respiratory muscles, but above all the muscles of the extremities belong to the voluntary motor system.

All muscle groups that are not subject to voluntary control by the motor nervous system are excluded in ALS. This includes the heart muscles and all muscle groups of the internal organs (e.g. stomach, intestinal and vascular muscles). Because the nervous and muscular systems are affected together, ALS is also referred to as a neuromuscular disease.