Take action againts ALS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neuron Disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons of the brain, brainstem and spinal cord, which are the cells responsible for transmitting the order of the voluntary movement from the brain to the muscles.

Degeneration of motor neurons causes the brain's ability to initiate and control muscle movement to be lost. Consequently, patients have progressive muscle atrophy causing progressive paralysis. Apart from motor autonomy, the ability to speak, swallow and breathe are also affected.

The disease currently has no cure and presents a very rapid evolution of a few years in most cases. There is still no treatment available to stop the degenerative process. The cause of ALS is not known, and scientists still do not know why ALS affects some people and not others.

Between 90-95% of ALS cases are considered sporadic ALS cases, in which the disease occurs apparently at random, without any clearly associated risk factors, although it is believed that both factors are involved endogenous (genetic and metabolic) and exogenous (environmental and related

ALS mainly affects people between the ages of 40 and 70, but it can also affect younger or older people. Men have a slightly higher incidence than women. It affects people all over the world, of any race and ethnic origin. It is estimated that around 500 people are affected in Catalonia, 3000 in Spain and 350,000 worldwide.

The early symptoms of ALS can be so subtle that they are often overlooked. In some cases, symptoms initially affect one leg and patients experience difficulty walking or running, or stumble more often. In other people, the initial involvement occurs in a hand or arm and they experience difficulty with simple tasks that require manual dexterity such as buttoning a shirt, writing or turning a key in a lock. Other patients notice speech problems or difficulty chewing or swallowing.

The evolution of the disease is generally rapid, but it is important to note that no two cases of ALS are exactly the same. The symptoms and progression of the disease can vary greatly from one person to another and each case must be treated according to its specific needs and social situation. In most cases, the affected person is fully aware of their situation and the evolutionary process of the disease.

ALS also does not affect a person's ability to see, smell, hear, or recognize touch. Even so, studies have shown that ALS can sometimes be associated with frontotemporal dementia, which implies that in some cases the affected people may have cognitive or behavioral changes, to a greater or lesser degree.