Not a lot of people know that...

This page aims to set the record straight on some common misconceptions about MND.

What is the difference between MND and ALS? Are the names used interchangeably?
Is Stephen Hawking very rare in living so long with the disease?

What is the difference between MND and ALS? Are the names used interchangeably?

The term Motor Neurone Disease actually describes a group of very similar conditions that affect motor neurones. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type of MND and affects both the upper motor neurones (those running from the brain to spinal cord) and the lower motor neurones (those running from the spinal cord out to the muscles). Other types include Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), which affects mainly the lower motor neurones, and Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), in which only the upper motor neurones are damaged. Although each of the types of MND affects people in slightly different ways, there can be a great deal of overlap.

The name ALS is often used in America to describe MND in general. The disease is sometimes referred to in America as Lou Gehrig^'s Disease after the famous New York Yankees baseball player who contracted the disease in the 1930s.

Is Stephen Hawking very rare in living so long with the disease?

It is relatively rare for somebody to live with MND for 10 years or more; the average life expectancy is between two and five years from the onset of symptoms. However, everyone’s experiences of MND are different and, as with so many other aspects of the disease, it is difficult to be precise about long term prognosis. Doctors do not know why Professor Hawking has lived with the disease for so long.