History
Motor neurone disease, or MND, is described by the NHS as a rare condition affecting the brain and nerves that leads to weakness which progressively worsens over time.
This loss of strength happens when motor neurones deteriorate. These nerve cells include upper motor neurones, which run from the brain through the spinal cord, and lower motor neurones, which extend to the face, throat and limbs.
The condition was identified in 1865 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, which is why motor neurone disease is also sometimes called Charcot’s disease.
Terminology differs on either side of the Atlantic. In the UK, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is commonly referred to as motor neurone disease. In the US, however, ALS is generally classified as one specific form within the broader group of neurological disorders known as MND.
Oxford University Hospitals notes that the distinction is often less clear in practice: nearly 90 per cent of people with MND have the mixed ALS form, meaning MND and ALS are frequently used interchangeably.
Symptoms
Early motor neurone disease symptoms can include weakness in an ankle or leg, which may cause frequent tripping or make climbing stairs more difficult. Some people also notice that their grip has become weaker.
Speech may become slurred in the early stages of MND, with swallowing difficulties potentially developing as the condition progresses.
Muscle twitching and cramps can also occur. As muscles in the arms and legs gradually waste away, weight loss may follow.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing MND can be particularly challenging at the outset, as its symptoms overlap with those of several other conditions. There is no single test that can confirm the disease.
Instead, doctors typically reach an MND or ALS diagnosis by ruling out other illnesses that can produce similar signs and symptoms.
Treatment
There is no cure for MND and the disease is fatal, however the disease progresses at different speeds in patients.
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People with MND are expected to live two to five years after the symptoms first manifest, although 10 per cent of sufferers live at least 10 years.
Causes
The NHS says that MND is an ‘uncommon condition’ that predominantly affects older people. However, it caveats that it can affect adults of any age.
The NHS says that, as of yet, ‘it is not yet known why’ the disease happens. The ALS Association says that MND occurs throughout the world ‘with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries and can affect anyone’.
It says that war veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS and that men are 20 per cent more likely to get it.
Lou Gehrig was one of baseball’s preeminent stars while playing for the Yankees between 1923 and 1939. Known as ‘The Iron Horse,’ he played in 2,130 consecutive games before ALS forced him to retire. The record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995
Lou Gehrig’s Disease
As well as being known as ALS and Charcot’s disease, MND is frequently referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Lou Gehrig was a hugely popular baseball player, who played for the New York Yankees between 1923 and 1939.
He was famous for his strength and was nicknamed ‘The Iron Horse’.
His strength, popularity and fame transcended the sport of baseball and the condition adopted the name of the sportsman.
He died two years after his diagnosis.
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