Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease, invariably fatal, that attacks nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. This disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor neuron diseases, which are characterized by the gradual degeneration and death of this type of neurons.
ALS causes weakness in a wide range of disabilities. Eventually affected all the muscles under voluntary control and patients lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs and body and diaphragm muscles fail when the thoracic wall, patients lose the ability to breathe without a ventilator or artificial respirator. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually between 3 to 5 years from the start of symptoms. However, about 10 percent of patients with ALS survive for 10 years or more.