Who gets ALS?

ALS is a fatal disease for which, according to current medical knowledge, no external causes are known. This means that ALS must always be considered to be without “personal fault”. Certain diseases are associated with risk behavior (e.g. certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases due to smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, etc.). These controllable risk factors are not present in ALS. The term “fated” ALS is therefore justified. The majority of those affected were healthy and without significant pre-existing conditions before being diagnosed with ALS. ALS therefore occurs without any precursors. The majority of those affected fall ill between the ages of 50 and 60. Men and women are affected almost equally: the male sex predominates slightly (1.5 : 1).

Various studies have attempted to identify a specific profile of people with ALS. Various series of studies show that people with ALS are leaner and more athletic than corresponding comparison groups before the onset of the disease. Other studies have shown that people with ALS – from a statistical point of view – have a higher educational status and an above-average income. For many study results on personality traits of ALS patients, there are also contrary study results. Overall, it is not possible to define a “personality profile” for people with ALS. In principle, anyone can develop ALS in the course of their life. The risk of ALS is increased if a familial (hereditary) form of ALS is present