Answers to your motor neuron disease (MND) queries
See information related to the most common questions about MND and associated conditions and treatments.
About motor neuron disease
Learn more about the early signs, symptoms and types of MND.
Motor neuron disease is a progressive neurological illness that affects the nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. As these nerve cells become damaged, muscles gradually weaken and may waste away.
Over time, MND can affect:
- breathing
- hand function
- speech
- swallowing
- walking.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type of motor neuron disease. In Australia, MND is generally used as the umbrella term, while ALS is often used internationally to mean broadly the same group of conditions, since ALS makes up most cases.
Overseas, particularly in the US, ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Early symptoms can vary but may include:
- coughing or choking with eating or drinking
- muscle cramps or twitching
- slurred speech or changes in voice
- stiffness or clumsiness
- weakness in one hand/arm or one leg (for example tripping, foot drop, reduced grip).
Symptoms usually develop gradually and progress over time.
Causes, diagnosis and treatment
Understand more about the disease course and prognosis of MND.
In most people, the exact cause is not known. In a smaller number of people, MND is related to an inherited genetic change. Your specialist can discuss whether genetic testing is relevant for you and your family.
No. MRI and blood tests can help exclude other conditions that can mimic MND, but diagnosis usually relies on specialist neurological assessment and tests of nerve and muscle function (such as EMG), together with the overall pattern of symptoms over time.
No, there is currently no cure. Available medicines can modestly slow progression in some patients, while treatments and supports can help:
- manage symptoms
- maintain comfort and function
- support quality of life.
Care is usually delivered by a multidisciplinary team, with regular review as needs change.
No. It has been shown to modestly extend survival on average, but it does not stop or reverse the disease. It also does not reliably improve muscle strength.
No, most cases (around ninety per cent) are not inherited and occur without a known family history. A smaller proportion are linked to specific inherited gene mutations.
No. Most people with MND do not develop dementia, although mild cognitive or behavioural changes are possible, and a minority develops frontotemporal dementia (FTD) specifically.
Gentle, individually tailored physiotherapy-guided activity is generally supported to maintain function and comfort.
Intensive or fatiguing exercise is not generally recommended and any exercise program should be guided by your physiotherapist given the progressive muscle weakness involved in MND.
No. These are usually discussed progressively over time as part of advance care planning, well before they may be needed. This allows decisions to reflect your own values and preferences rather than being made in a crisis.