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ALS

life science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Some people have a sickness called ALS. This name stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It is a disease that affects the body. It targets motor neurons. These are cells that help you move. They send signals from your brain to your muscles. In ALS, these cells stop working. This causes the muscles to get weak.

As the sickness grows, it can change many things. It can make it hard to walk. It can make it hard to talk. Some people find it tough to swallow food. It can even make it hard to breathe. This happens because the muscles used for breathing get weak.

Doctors study ALS to find new ways to help. They look for ways to slow it down. Some people have a type of ALS that runs in families. This is called familial ALS. Other cases happen without a family link. This is called sporadic ALS. Scientists work hard to learn more every day.

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