Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive nervous system disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, triggering muscle weakness. Also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the baseball player was diagnosed on his 36th birthday in 1939, ALS has no known cure. The symptoms often start with muscle twitching, limb weakness, or slurred speech. Over time, the disease progresses, affecting the muscles involved in moving, speaking, eating, and breathing. Researchers aren’t sure what causes ALS, but they believe that both genetic and environmental factors play a role.
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