Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the death of most patients within two years. The cause of the disease is unknown and there is no cure.

Nevertheless, doctors have learned a lot about ALS over the course of a century and a half, particularly in the past fifteen years. It is a disease of the nervous system, which has three main parts: the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord.

The disease is actually associated with the malfunction of the motor neurons. There are two types of motor neurons: upper motor neurons and lower motor neurons (also known as anterior horn cells). Completely efficient movement can only be achieved if both sets of neurons are working properly. When the upper motor neurons fail, spastic and exaggerated muscle movements occur. Deterioration of the lower motor neurons results in the disintegration of muscles (atrophy). When both sets of motor neurons fail, the diagnosis is considered as “classic” ALS.

No matter if a person is rich or poor, young or old, and from East or West, ALS isolates patients after their diagnosis. Regardless of their characteristics or history, however, people need to be aware of this disease.  ALS may rid a person of their body, as it did with Lou Gehrig, but it can never rid the world of great souls who live on forever in everyone’s hearts.