What is ALS?
What Is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disorder of the nervous system. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS attacks motor neurons, which are nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. These cells send messages to muscles throughout the body. In ALS, the motor neurons die. The ability of the brain to start and control muscle movement is lost. As a result, muscles gradually weaken. In time, most muscles a