Subject: Re: Re: Re: Info about motor neuron disease

Comments:
: : well i dont really know a lot about it, but we are studying it at school, and this is what I know: : : Motor Neurone Disease is the name given to a group of related diseases, which affect the motor neurones in the brain and in the spinal cord. Motor neurones are the nerve cells that the brain sends instructions, in the form of electrical impulses, to the muscles through. : : If the motor neurones are degenerated, the muscles become weak and start to waste away. At first this occurs in the arms and legs, and some groups of muscles are affected more than others. Some people experience these symptoms in the face and throat, which causes problems with talking, chewing and swallowing. : : The disease does not affect touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing, bladder, bowel, or sexual function. In most cases, the intellect is also unaffected. : : It is a steadily progressive disease but the rate of progression varies between people. It is not a contagious disease, and can affect any adult, at any age. The majority of people with MND are over 40 years of age, and the most common age range is between 50-70 years of age. Men are slightly more likely to develop this disease than women. : : The number of people who develop MND in a year is two people in every 100,000. The number of people who actually have MND at any one time is seven people in every 100,000. The number of people with MND in the UK is approximately 5,000. : : There is no specific test to diagnose MND, and it may be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. The pattern of symptoms varies between individuals. : : The cause of MND is not yet known, but research work is being carried out.

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