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MND impacts nerves found in the cerebrum and spinal cord, which tell your muscles what to do.

This causes them to lose strength and become rigid gradually and usually affects your walking, speak, consume food and breathe.

This is a quite uncommon condition that is most frequent in individuals above age fifty, but adults of any age can be affected.

An individual's chance in their life of contracting MND is one in 300.

Approximately five thousand people in the UK are living with the disease at any one time.

Researchers are not sure the cause of MND, but it is likely to be a combination of the genetic material - or inherited characteristics - you get from your parents when you are delivered, and additional lifestyle factors.

In as many as 10% of individuals with MND, specific genes play a much larger role.

There is usually a family history of the illness in such instances.

What are the First Signs of the Condition?

MND affects everyone differently.

Not all individuals has the identical signs, or experiences them in the identical sequence.

The condition can progress at varying rates too.

Some of the most common signs are:

• loss of muscle strength and cramps
• rigid articulations
• difficulties in your speech
• issues with ingesting, eating and drinking
• weakened coughing

Does There Exist a Treatment?

There is no definitive treatment, but there is hope stemming from treatments focused on various types of MND.

MND is not one disease - it is actually multiple that result in the death of nerve cells.

A new drug known as tofersen works in only one in 50 individuals, however it has been demonstrated to decelerate - and in some cases even undo - a portion of the symptoms of MND.

It has been described as "truly remarkable" and a "significant point of optimism" for the whole disease.

Even though the drug has recently received approval in the EU, it is not currently accessible in the UK.

There is only one pharmaceutical currently licensed for the treatment of MND in the UK and endorsed by the NHS.

Riluzole may slow down the advancement of the condition and increase survival by several months, but it does not reverse damage.

Determining Life Expectancy for MND?

Some people can survive for decades with MND, such as renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, who was identified at the twenty-two years old and lived to 76.

But for most, the disease progresses quickly and survival time is only several years.

Based on the non-profit MND Association, the disease claims the lives of a one-third of people within a year and over 50% within 24 months of diagnosis.

As the nerve cells stop working, swallowing and breathing become increasingly difficult and numerous individuals need feeding tubes or respiratory aids to help them remain living.

Do Sports Professionals More Likely to Receive a Diagnosis?

The exact cause has not yet been found, but elite athletes appear disproportionately affected by MND.

A pair of research projects from 2005 and 2009 indicated that professional footballers have an elevated chance of developing MND.

A 2022 study by the Glasgow University involving 400 former Scotland rugby athletes determined they had an higher likelihood of developing the condition.

Researchers also found that rugby players who have experienced multiple concussions have physiological variations that could render them more prone to contracting MND.

The MND Association recognizes there is a "link" between collision sports and MND.

It added that while the athletes researched were more likely to develop MND, it did not prove the athletic activities directly caused the condition.

The organization also stresses that "documented MND instances in these studies is remains quite small, and so determining there is a definite increased risk could be misinterpreted if this is simply a cluster due to random chance".

Several prominent athletes have been diagnosed with the condition in the past few years.

These include ex- rugby players, footballers, and cricket athletes.

In the United States, MLB athlete Lou Gehrig died from the condition at the age of 39.