Also called: ALS · Lou Gehrig's disease
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that attacks nerve cells called neurons in your brain and spinal cord. These neurons transmit messages from your brain and spinal cord to your voluntary muscles - the ones you can control, like in your arms and legs. At first, this causes mild muscle problems. Some people notice:
- Trouble walking or running
- Trouble writing
- Speech problems
Eventually, you lose your strength and cannot move. When muscles in your chest fail, you cannot breathe. A breathing machine can help, but most people with ALS die from respiratory failure.
The disease usually strikes between age 40 and 60. More men than women get it. No one knows what causes ALS. It can run in families, but usually it strikes at random. There is no cure. Medicines can relieve symptoms and, sometimes, prolong survival.
It sits within Brain and Nerves.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
997 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- QCT in ALS Diagnosis, Mechanistic Understanding and Follow-upUniversity Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand
- ARTFL LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ALLFTD)Mayo Clinic
- Developing a Comprehensive Biomarker Panel for Monitoring Progression and Early Detection in ALS PatientsUniversity Hospital, Montpellier
- ASSESS ALL ALS StudySt. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix
- PREVENT ALL ALS StudySt. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix
- Lung Insufflation Capacity Training and Respiratory Function in Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisNational Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan
Research already completed
- Trial of Oral Digoxin in Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)Massachusetts General Hospital
- Natural History and Biomarkers of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia Caused by the C9ORF72 Gene MutationNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
- Plasmapheresis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Autoantibody Against NRIPNational Taiwan University Hospital
- Expanded Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of MCI-186 in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)Shionogi
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- What Is ALS?ALS Association
Symptoms
- ALS Symptoms and DiagnosisALS Association
- Stages of ALSMuscular Dystrophy Association
Diagnosis and Tests
- Diagnosis of ALSMuscular Dystrophy Association
- Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction StudiesNational Library of Medicine
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Who Gets ALS?ALS Association
Living With
- Breathing DifficultiesALS Association
- Daily Activities Made Easier for People with ALSALS Association
- Medical Management of ALSMuscular Dystrophy Association
Related Issues
- Coping with BurnoutALS Association
- MDA Resources for CaregiversMuscular Dystrophy Association
- Military Veterans with ALSALS Association
- Oral Care for People Living with ALSALS Association
Genetics
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
- Genetic Testing for ALSALS Association
Statistics and Research
- National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) RegistryCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.