What Is ALS?
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease of the nervous system.
The cause is not known and there is no cure, although progress
is being made on both fronts. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's
Disease after the famous baseball player who died from it.
ALS attacks motor neurons, which are among the
largest of all nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. In ALS,
motor neurons die and the muscles do not receive these messages.
As a result, muscles weaken as they lose their ability to move.
There is, however, no loss of sensory nerves, so people with ALS
retain their sense of feeling, sight, hearing, smell, and taste.
Significant progress is being made in the study
of ALS. Although there is still no cure, recent clinical trials
have shown that some drugs may increase the survival time for people
with ALS. Only through continued research can we hope for more
treatments and a cure.
Contact:
The University of Miami ALS Clinical
and Research Center
1150 NW 14th Street, Suite 700
Miami, FL 33136
Patients Only: 1-800-690-ALS1 (2571)
Local Calls: 305-243-7400
EMAIL: Gina@waltek.net http://www.miami-als.org
Frequently Asked Questions & Glossary Of Terms
