ALS Overview
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND), Lou Gehrig's Disease,
and Charcot's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the
brain and spinal cord. This results in the wasting away of muscle, loss of movement and eventual
paralysis. There are an estimated 30,000 people living with ALS in the United States at any
given time. Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS. About 90% of all ALS cases are
sporadic with no known history of the disease in a family. The remaining 10% of cases are
known as familial ALS.
Video: What is ALS?
ALS can affect anyone of any age, gender or race. However, for the most part, ALS affects people
between the ages of 40 and 70.
Some
early signs and symptoms of ALS include:
- muscle cramps and muscle twitching
- weakness in hands, legs, feet or ankles
- difficulty speaking or swallowing
The senses, including hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch, are not affected by ALS. In most cases of ALS, cognitive function is not affected.
ALS is not experienced in the same way among all those diagnosed, and the manner and speed at which the disease
moves throughout a person's body can vary greatly.
Most people live about 3-5 years after they experience their
first signs of disease, with one in ten people surviving at least 10 years. The variable rate of
disease progression makes
prognosis difficult to predict and
therapies challenging to develop.
Currently, there are no effective cures or treatments to stop disease progression of ALS. ALS is a complex
disease which varies from person to person. Far more research is necessary to discover effective treatments for
each person living with ALS. That's why researchers at the ALS Therapy Development Institute
(
ALS TDI) are working hard each day to find ALS treatments. We aim to do this by identifying,
testing, and developing promising new treatments and learning more about ALS through our Precision Medicine Program
(
PMP).
ALS Causes
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, is caused by progressive deterioration and death of motor neurons,
leading to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Ten percent of cases are known as
familial ALS,in which a specific genetic mutation is
inherited and passed down from generation to generation. Over 29 ALS-specific genetic mutations
have been identified to date
[1]. The most
common known genetic mutation in ALS is the C9orf72 gene, which accounts for approximately 30
to 40 percent of all familial ALS cases
[1].
Mutations in the SOD1 gene make up around 20 percent of familial ALS, and TARDBP and FUS gene
mutations each account for about 5 percent of familial cases.
The remaining 90 percent of cases are known as
sporadic ALS, meaning there is no known
history of the disease in a family. There are many theories outlining potential causes of ALS
including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune system over activity, glutamate
toxicity and toxic exposures. Studies have shown that those who have served in the military
are more likely to develop ALS than the general population
[2],
[3].
It is important to note that clinically, familial ALS and sporadic ALS appear to be indistinguishable from one another.
ALS can affect anyone of any age, gender or race.
However, for the most part, ALS affects people between the
ages of 40 and 70. ALS appears to affect men at a
higher rate than women below the ages of 65. Over the age of 70, incidence appears to be the same. According
to recent research, incidence of ALS appears to be greater in white populations than in African American,
Asian or Hispanic populations
[4] [5].
Diagnosis
There is no single diagnostic tool for ALS. The El Escorial criteria is commonly used to aid diagnosis, which requires the following:
- Evidence of lower motor neuron (LMN) degeneration by clinical, electrophysiological or neuropathologic examination.
- Evidence of upper motor neuron (UMN) degeneration by clinical examination.
- Progressive spread of symptoms or signs within a region or to other regions, as determined by history or examination.
However, these criteria are limited. A series of clinical procedures may also be conducted to rule out neurological
conditions whose symptoms closely resemble ALS. This means the ALS diagnostic process includes eliminating the
possibility of many other diseases along the way, including infections like Lyme disease and other neurological
disorders such as multifocal motor neuropathy, before making a final diagnosis. For this reason, diagnosis can
take as long as 12 to 14 months in some cases.
Throughout the diagnostic process, people might receive a diagnosis of
suspected, possible, probable or definite
ALS. These designations depend on which parts of the body are affected by the disease. Without a
definite diagnosis,
people with possible or probable ALS nevertheless remain
eligible to participate in a growing number of clinical
trials evaluating emerging treatments for the disease. For a full list of ALS studies, visit our
clinical trials page.
Some of the procedures a person may undergo on their way to an ALS diagnosis may include:
Genetic testing
When a
familial case of ALS (fALS) is suspected, genetic testing might also be recommended. Commercially
available tests can identify dozens of ALS-linked genes. Those that undergo genetic testing are typically
provided genetic counseling, during which they learn how to interpret results.
Electromyography and nerve conduction studies
These tests enable clinicians to check whether motor nerves are plugged into the muscles and are working properly. Nerve
conduction studies (NCS) test whether the motor nerves can send signals of sufficient strength to enable movement of the
muscles.
Electromyography (EMG) tests measure the ability of these muscles in response to these signals to trigger
contraction. These tests help rule out certain disorders including those of the peripheral nerves.
Muscle Biopsy
Clinicians may also recommend a biopsy to further investigate affected muscles. Examination of muscle tissue under the
microscope can help rule out certain muscle diseases.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI enables clinicians to examine organs and tissues including the brain and spinal cord. An MRI can help rule out a
number of conditions including brain tumors,
multiple sclerosis and
certain disorders of the
spinal cord.
Other tests
These include blood and urine tests and spinal tap. However, researchers hope to expedite the diagnostic process by
developing tools that directly indicate whether a person has the disease.
Emerging tools
A growing number of researchers suspect that
MRI could indicate whether a person has ALS rather than just
eliminate other diseases. Researchers hope certain
biomarkers can be used to identify people who are at
high risk of developing ALS
before they show symptoms.
Meanwhile, other scientists are developing a new method called electrical impedance myography (EIM) to diagnose ALS. This
test helps identify changes in affected muscles including atrophy. Scientists hope that this tool might also predict the
spread of ALS and aid in the development of treatments for the disease.
Prognosis
Most people with ALS
live about 3-5 years after experiencing their first signs of the disease. At least one in
ten people live more than 10 years following their diagnosis. This variable rate of progression makes predicting
prognosis
difficult. Clinicians instead rely on regular follow-up visits to monitor people with ALS to manage their disease.
Most people with ALS first feel
muscle cramps, spasms or
twitching (
fasciculations) in one of their arms or
legs. Other signs include weakness in the hands and feet or loss of balance. This form of the disease is
called limb-onset ALS.
About 25 percent of people with ALS first have trouble talking clearly and begin to slur their words. This form
of the disease is called bulbar-onset ALS.
After receiving a
diagnosis, people with ALS often schedule regular clinic visits every 3-4 months. During
these visits, patients are monitored for changes in their functional abilities.
Commonly used tests for
monitoring ALS include:
Spirometry
ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R)
The
ALSFRS-R is a rating scale that measures changes in a person's abilities, including breathing, speaking,
sleeping, swallowing, and walking. The score is based on answers to 12 questions using a 48-point scale.
Individuals with ALS can track their disease at home using the ALSFRS-R scale, there are several websites
that offer that service free of charge, such as
PatientsLikeMe.
ALS Research Collaborative (ARC)
Through the
ALS Research Collaborative (ARC), researchers at ALS TDI partner with people with ALS around the
world to share and gather data on medical histories, family histories, genetics, biomarkers, and patient cell
biology to better understand the disease. Participants are provided with a secure online portal where their
data is located and easily accessible. They are able to track their own disease progression and follow how
various interventions impact their symptoms and progression.
Clinic Visits
Following clinic visits, individuals with ALS should consider asking for access to the “data” obtained during
the visit, such as the doctor's recorded ALSFRS-R and SVC or FVC scores. This information is used as enrollment
criteria for most clinical trials, and having it at hand can allow people to quickly determine if they
qualify for participation in a trial.
As the disease spreads, many
muscles weaken and start to stiffen. Range of motion exercises will likely be
recommended by physical therapists to help keep muscles loose and prevent the formation of
contractures and muscle pain.
A person with ALS's
breathing may become affected. A BiPAP machine or a
phrenic pacer might be suggested, particularly
to help improve sleeping. A feeding tube might be recommended to help meet nutritional needs. Medications might be
also recommended to help control
pseudobulbar affect (uncontrolled laughing or crying) or to help reduce muscle spasms.
People with bulbar-onset often work with a speech therapist to keep their ability to speak for longer. Those with
limb-onset ALS may rely on a cane, walker, or wheelchair due to difficulties walking and maintaining balance.
In most cases of ALS, cognitive function is not affected. However, over the past 10 years there has been an
increasing interest in investigating the overlap of ALS with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), another neurological
disease characterized by a decline in cognitive function. It is believed that up to a third of those diagnosed
with ALS may be affected by cognitive issues.
As ALS progresses and a person's muscles become paralyzed, they may lose the ability to move and speak.
Many people with ALS may require a wheelchair to get around. Some may communicate through assistive devices
like an eye-tracking device or a letter board. Some people with ALS choose invasive ventilation by having a
tracheostomy tube to help keep them breathing. People with late-stage ALS are often cared for at home or in
hospice.
There are currently
no effective cures for ALS or treatments to stop disease progression, but scientists
are working hard to develop therapies for this disease. There are currently
only two treatments approved
by the FDA in the United States. They are
riluzole
(marketed as Rilutek or Tiglutik) and
edaravone
(marketed as Radicava).
Much more is known about the use of
riluzole in ALS as it was approved in the 1990s. Its effects are modest, extending
life by about two to three months. In May 2017,
edaravone was
approved
by the FDA. Clinical trials of
edaravone showed that those who began getting infusions of the medication early on
in their disease had the greatest potential to maintain muscle function.
While neither of these treatments have been
shown to halt the progression of ALS, some people who take either or both of them may experience a positive impact on
their progression. Both
riluzole and
edaravone are available today. People with ALS are encouraged to speak with their
doctor to determine if these treatments are right for them.
ALS is a complex, multi-system disease. A growing number of ALS clinics are deploying multidisciplinary teams to care
for and meet the physical, emotional, and nutritional needs of people with ALS. These palliative care teams include
physical, respiratory, speech, and occupational therapists to help people with ALS breathe easier, keep moving, and stay connected.
Today, there are dozens of potential treatments in clinical trial that are enrolling people with ALS and their families. You can visit
our
ALS Treatments and Drugs page to read more about potential therapies for ALS. For more information on enrollment
our page to read more about potential therapies for ALS. For more information on enrollment
and inclusion criteria for clinical trials, visit our
clinical trials page.
Newly Diagnosed?
Visit our Newly Diagnosed page for tools and resources to help you.