What is motor neurone disease?

Motor neurone disease is a rare condition which affects around one in every 50,000 people in the UK.

Also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it is a devastating progressive brain condition. The condition describes a group of diseases that affect the nerves in the brain and spinal cord that tell a person’s muscles what to do. It progressively damages parts of the nervous system which leads to muscle weakness, stiffening and waste. Motor neurones control muscle activity, including walking, gripping, speaking, swallowing and breathing.

As the condition progresses, people with MND will find some or all of these activities increasingly difficult. Eventually, a person with motor neurone disease may be unable to move. Talking, swallowing and breathing may also become very difficult.