• Question: how do people develop motor neuron syndrome and can it be cured?

    Asked by to Phillip on 17 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Phillip Manning

      Phillip Manning answered on 17 Jun 2014:


      Motor neuron disease affects a special type of cell, the motor neurons, that control all muscle activity, from walking to talking and even breathing. I watched this horrible disease progress in a member of my family. As the motor neurons start to fail, so to does all the associated muscle activity that relies upon these ‘relays’. There is a huge amount of research being undertaken on this disease, take a look at http://www.mndassociation.org/

      Sometimes the disease simply stops in its tracks, for reasons that we are not sure, but sadly the disease often progresses. Hopefully a cure or treatment to slow the disease will be discovered in the future.

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