What is Motor Neurone Disease?

MND affects everyone differently. Not all symptoms happen to everyone, and they may appear in a different order. The speed at which symptoms appear and progress also varies.

MND cannot be stopped or reversed, but therapies, medication and equipment can help manage symptoms. This can help maintain the best possible quality of life.

Symptoms of motor neurone disease (MND) include:

• Muscle weakness and wasting, causing movement and mobility problems.
• Muscle cramps and spasms, including rippling sensations, known as fasciculation.
• Stiff joints and muscles, reducing range of movement, known as spasticity.
• Pain or discomfort, not necessarily caused by MND, but the result of having other symptoms.
• Speech and communication difficulties, due to changes in speech, gesture and expression.
• Difficulty swallowing, affecting eating and drinking.
• A weakened cough, making it harder to clear the throat.
• Breathing difficulties, which can lead to breathlessness and fatigue.
• Emotional lability, where emotional responses (such as laughing or crying) don’t always match the way you feel.
• Changes to thinking and behaviour, affecting about half of those diagnosed and known as cognitive changes. These are usually mild but can be more severe.

Search for information on symptoms with our Care information finder

If you are concerned that you or someone close may have MND, read more about the early signs of MND and how to manage Living with MND.

MND does not usually affect the senses, so people can still see, hear, taste, smell and feel sensations. Some people may notice changes such as altered taste, skin hypersensitivity or difficulty regulating temperature.

Bladder and bowel function are not usually directly affected, but mobility challenges can make access to the toilet more difficult. Constipation can also be a problem when a person becomes less mobile or gets dehydrated.

Sexual function is not affected, but sexual expression may become more difficult if mobility and movement are restricted. Read more in our Sex and relationships booklet.

MND can affect adults of any background, but it is more common in people over the age of 50.

• Every day, six people are diagnosed with MND in the UK.
• More than 5,000 adults in the UK are living with MND at any one time.
• A person’s lifetime risk of developing MND is around 1 in 300.

See our infographic with key facts to find out more (this contains sensitive content about MND).

MND is not common, so GPs and many health and social care professionals don’t see cases very often. This is why people with MND need to be treated and cared for by specialists. Usually, this begins with referral to neurological services.

For more about treatment and care, see health and social care services and our booklet: Types of care.

The exact cause is not fully understood, as there may be different triggers for each person, but a small number of cases are inherited.

Find out more on our What causes MND? and Inherited MND pages.

There are several forms of MND. They may differ in how symptoms begin and how quickly they progress, but they can overlap. This means it can take time to confirm a diagnosis.

Symptoms continue to be checked as they progress. If a case needs to be reviewed, a neurologist may change the diagnosis from one form to another.

This section includes information about life expectancy. You may wish to read this when you feel ready.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

ALS is the most common form of MND with weakness and wasting in the limbs, muscle stiffness and cramps. The earliest signs are often tripping over or dropping things. Life expectancy is typically 2 to 5 years from first symptoms.

In the USA, ALS is used as the umbrella term for all forms of MND.

Bulbar onset MND (progressive bulbar palsy, PBP)

PBP is less common than ALS, and mainly affects the muscles of the face, throat and tongue. Early signs may include slurring of speech or difficulty swallowing. Life expectancy is often between 6 months and 3 years from first symptoms.

Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA)

PMA is a rare form of MND. Early signs may show as weakness or clumsiness of the hands. Life expectancy is often longer than 5 years.

See our information sheet: 2D Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA).

Contact our MND Connect helpline for details of an email group for people with PMA (the MND Association is not responsible for the group or moderation of its content).

Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS)

PLS is a rare form of MND. It mainly causes weakness and stiffness that usually begins in the lower limbs. Sometimes it also causes speech problems or other symptoms. PLS is not usually life-shortening, as it progresses very slowly. This means it can take time to confirm a diagnosis of PLS.

See our information sheet: 2C Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS).

Contact our MND Connect helpline for details of an email group for people with PLS (the MND Association is not responsible for the group or moderation of its content).

Kennedy’s disease, also known as Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA)

Kennedy's disease is a rare neurological condition with similar symptoms to MND. This means the two conditions are sometimes confused at diagnosis. It affects motor neurones, causing increasing weakness, wasting of the muscles and hormonal changes. Most people with Kennedy's disease live an average life span.

Find information and support on our Kennedy’s disease explained pages, as well as in our booklet, Kennedy's disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of MND.

In the UK, MND is the umbrella term for all forms, and we use ALS as our name for one form of MND.

In some countries, including the USA, you may see ALS used as the name for all forms of the disease.

You can find out more on this page under the heading Are there different forms of MND?

Progression varies widely. Symptoms may worsen quickly for some people and more slowly for others.

If you or someone close to you has been affected by MND, we're here for you and have lots of support and guidance available.

If you are concerned about symptoms

Read more about the early signs of MND.

If you have been recently diagnosed

Find guidance for people newly diagnosed with MND.

Speak to someone

Contact our MND Connect helpline if you have any questions. They can also provide:

• emotional support
• practical guidance
• information about services and financial support.