A type of disease in which the
nerve cells in the brain that act on muscle cells break down and stop working. This affects basic activities such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. Symptoms include muscle weakness, wasting, twitching, trouble swallowing, and slowly becoming paralyzed.
Motor neuron diseases are sometimes
inherited. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) is the most common type of
motor neuron disease.
inherited (in-HAYR-ih-ted)
Transmitted through genes that have been passed from parents to their offspring (children).
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)motor (MOH-ter)
In medicine, having to do with the movement of body parts.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)motor neuron disease (MOH-ter NOOR-on dih-ZEEZ)
A type of disease in which the nerve cells in the brain that act on muscle cells break down and stop working. This affects basic activities such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. Symptoms include muscle weakness, wasting, twitching, trouble swallowing, and slowly becoming paralyzed. Motor neuron diseases are sometimes inherited. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) is the most common type of motor neuron disease.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)nerve (nerv)
A bundle of fibers that receives and sends messages between the body and the brain. The messages are sent by chemical and electrical changes in the cells that make up the nerves.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)neuron (NOOR-on)
A type of cell that receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body. The messages are sent by a weak electrical current. Also called nerve cell.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)
