amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

n. (Medicine) ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, incurable progressive disease of the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that causes their degeneration and muscle degeneration

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's Disease, Maladie de Charcot or motor neurone disease) is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body as both the upper and  lower motor neurons degenerate and die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, atrophy, and develop fasciculations (twitches) because of denervation. Eventually, the brain completely loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movement. The disease does not necessarily debilitate the patient's mental functioning in the same manner as Alzheimer's disease or other neurological conditions. Rather, those suffering advanced stages of the disease may retain the same memories, personality, and intelligence they had before its onset. Famous people to suffer from it include American baseball star Lou Gehrig, British actor David Niven, Leeds United and England association football manager Don Revie, Neo-Classical metal guitarist Jason Becker, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and British musicologist Stanley Sadie.
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease that breaks down tissues in the nervous system of unknown cause [more]Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - Community and Resources

Noun
1. thickening of tissue in the motor tracts of the lateral columns and anterior horns of the spinal cord; results in progressive muscle atrophy that starts in the limbs
(synonym) ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease
(hypernym) nervous disorder, neurological disorder, neurological disease

noun
Gehrig's disease, a motor neurone disease, similar to muscular sclerosis, where the limbs twitch and the muscles gradually waste away

A chronic progressive disease of motor neurons (the nerves that come from the spinal cord to supply electrical energy to the muscles).