Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects cells in the brain and spinal cord. Specifically, motor neurons that control muscle movement undergo progressive degeneration, which causes patients to loss normal motor function and die. Although most of ALS cases are categorized as sporadic, 5 to 10 percent patients can be diagnosed with specific genetic causes. Currently, there is no cure for ALS. The only FDA-approved medicine for ALS, i.e. Riluzole, can extend lifespan by half a year on average.