What is Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neuromuscular disorder. ALS causes the motor nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement to gradually die, resulting in paralysis and eventually death. It progresses at different rates in each individual, with the average time of survival being three to five years from onset.

ALS strikes men and women equally generally between the ages of 40 and 70 years old. Nationally, the incidence of ALS is one per 100,000 people, with approximately 5,000 new cases diagnosed annually. It is not contagious nor an inherited disease, however 5% to10% of those who develop ALS has a family history of the disease. There is no known cause or proven treatment for ALS, though researchers are exploring several viable theories. A number of clinical trials are currently underway, many here at California Pacific Medical Center, with the hope that a successful treatment will be found. Until that time, many ALS symptoms can be successfully managed, enabling people to live their lives longer with dignity, while enjoying a greater quality of life.

Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research and Treatment Center

California Pacific Neuroscience Institute

The California Pacific Neuroscience Institute at CPMC in San Francisco features some of the top-rated neurology physicians and neurosurgeons in the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin county and Northern California.