Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which the motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord controlling voluntary muscle movement gradually deteriorate. This leads to muscle weakness and atrophy and ultimately impacts swallowing and respiration. ALS usually strikes between the ages of 40-70 although there are patients diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. Men are affected about 20 more than women. Sporadic ALS SALS comprises 90 to 95 of ALS cases and has no known risk factors while 5 to 10 of cases are referred to as familial ALS FALS and are associated with genetic inheritance. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 people in the United States have ALS, and approximately 5,600 new cases of ALS are diagnosed annually. Men and women who have served in the U.S. military are 60 more likely than civilians to develop a fatal muscle-wasting disease such as ALS. In addition, 1990-91 Gulf War veterans have been shown to be twice as likely to develop ALS as the general population.