What Is Lou Gehrig's Disease?: Causes and Symptoms

Lou Gehrig's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is also called as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. It is a progressive disorder that leads to the loss of voluntary muscle control in the body. This disorder often affects the nerves that control speech, swallowing function, and limb movements. There is still no known cure for this disease.



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Causes
This medical condition is classified into two types: sporadic and familial. Most ALS cases are sporadic, which means that anyone can be affected by the disorder. Around 5-10 percent of ALS cases are familial, which means that the disorder can be inherited.

Symptoms
The symptoms of ALS also depends on the affected areas of the nervous system. Thus, symptoms may vary from one person to another. The lower half of the brain stem is the medulla, which controls most of the body’s autonomic functions. These functions include the regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.