How does ALS affect your body?

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How does ALS affect your body?

As your motor neurons (nerve cells) continue to decline, they can’t send signals to your muscles. The two types of motor neurons are:

  • Upper motor neurons, the motor nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. Their job is to send signals to lower motor neurons.
  • Lower motor neurons, the motor nerve cells in your brain stem (lower part of your brain) and spinal cord. They receive instructions from the upper motor neurons. They then send messages to your muscles telling them to move.

Most often, ALS affects both upper and lower motor neurons.

You may have different symptoms if mostly upper or mostly lower motor neurons are affected. Upper motor neuron disorders cause muscle stiffening. Lower motor neuron diseases cause a loss of muscle tone. Both upper and lower motor neuron problems cause weakness.

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