“Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease, is a progressive, degenerative disease that destroys the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement.  ALS that is often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it. Doctors usually don’t know why ALS occurs. Some cases are inherited.  ALS often begins with muscle twitching, weakness in a limb, or slurred speech.  There is no cure for the disease but there is temporary treatments for ALS depending on the symptoms present.”

MAYO CLINIC