Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Beginning of paper
(ALS), sometimes referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive fatal neuromuscular disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons, among the largest of all nerve cells, reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to muscles ....
Middle of paper
.... or hardening ("Sclerosis") in the region.
Over 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with ALS each year. There is great variation in the course of the disease. Symptoms usually appear in individuals between the ages of 40-70, though the disease has been reported in both younger and older persons. Survival after the confirming diagnosis is, on average, two to five years. Progression of ALS varies with each individual; therefore, some will live longer--up to 10 years, and about five percent will e ....
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Word count: 3526
Page count: 13 (approximately 250 words per page)
