| This
is a disease of motor neuron cells (cells which cause muscles to move)
within the spinal cord and brainstem. This disease may present
with weakness of the arms and legs, difficulty with speaking and swallowing,
and rarely with dementia. For the neurosurgeon, it is important
to distinguish this disease from cervical myelopathy, which is cord
injury caused by spinal cord compression in the neck. Generally,
the survival in patients with ALS is 5 years. |
