ALS: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Unfortunately a disease with an average survival time after diagnosis of just 3-5 years affects about two out of every 100,000 people. This neurodegenerative disease is known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and was brought to public attention in the late 1930s by the Major League Baseball player, Lou Gehrig. An impeccable New York Yankees baseball player, Lou Gehrig made his mark with 493 career home runs and 2,721 hits throughout 2,130 consecutive games with the Yankees. He was an outstanding baseball player. But at just 35 years old, he began experiencing extreme fatigue and muscle weakness during the season. He was diagnosed with ALS soon after. 

But what exactly is ALS? Common symptoms include extreme muscle fatigue, total loss of manual dexterity or muscle movement, difficulty walking and even breathing. The cause of this fatal disease is unknown as 90% of patients don’t have any family history related to the disease. 

Science has informed us that it specifically affects the upper and lower motor neurons. Upper motor neurons extend from the cerebral cortex and carry motor information to the spinal cord, while lower motor neurons originate in the spinal cord and send information to skeletal muscles in order to initiate movement. The degeneration of these neurons causes muscles to become atrophied, meaning they become weakened and essentially waste away. Research has led us to discover that ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s Disease are linked to the presence of a genetic mutation containing malfunctioning proteins within the neurons. 

Unfortunately there is currently no cure for the disease, but prevention and treatment has progressed significantly. The majority of the disease remains a mystery, but this only means there is plenty of room for research and advancement within the medical field that could potentially save millions of lives. 

Written by Madison DeLorme 

Thomas, R. (2020, April 3). Why Is Lou Gehrig’s Disease Named After Him and How Long Did He Live With It? Sportscasting | Pure Sports. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.sportscasting.com/why-is-lou-gehrigs-disease-named-after-him-and-how-long-did-he-live-with-it/

What is ALS? (n.d.). The ALS Association. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.als.org/understanding-als/what-is-als