Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the brain and spinal cord.  First described in 1869, ALS affects the nerve cells that control voluntary movement.  Patients experience muscle weakness and wasting, slurred or thickened speech, muscle cramps and twitching, and sometimes periods of uncontrollable laughing or crying.  Approximately 30,000 men and women in the US are affected by ALS.

Recent advances in research and improved medical care enable many ALS patients to live longer and more productive lives.  The sophisticated multi-specialty approach offered at UNM ALS Center can help provide effective diagnosis and treatment for this disease.