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Facts About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

For the booklet in English (updated June 2011): Download a printable PDF of this entire booklet.
Para el folleto en español: Descargar el folleto en formato PDF para imprimir.
 
To find the latest information about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), visit the ALS disease page.

Last Updated: 
Fri, 04/01/2011 - 15:10

Everyday Life with ALS: A Practical Guide

Introduction

Receiving a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) will unquestionably alter your life in almost every aspect.

You should remember, however, that no one knows exactly how you personally will be affected by the disease or how rapidly it will progress. Statistics can shed some general light on what you can expect from ALS, but they can’t predict the course of ALS from person to person.

Last Updated: 
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 13:34

Research

Intense research is being conducted in many areas related to ALS, from basic science seeking the roots of the disease, to therapy development to find effective treatments.

Research into familial (running in families) forms of the disease also may have relevance for sporadic (nonfamilial) forms, as all ALS cases — regardless of the form — present and develop along similar lines.

Causes/Inheritance

About 5 to 10 percent of ALS is familial — meaning it arises in families in which there is a history of ALS. Several genes associated with ALS have been identified or at least mapped to a specific region of a chromosome.

The other 90 to 95 percent of ALS is sporadic, meaning it occurs without a family history (in other words, "sporadically"). There appear to be genetic variations that influence one's susceptibility to sporadic ALS, even if they don't actually cause the disease by themselves.

Description: 

MDA’s ALS Division is a world leader in the search for treatments and therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Division also provides practical support and expert health care for those living with ALS. 

In this section, you’ll find up-to-date information about ALS, as well as many helpful resources. This information has been compiled with input from researchers, physicians and people affected by the disease.

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