Final answer:
ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, progressively affects motor neurons responsible for voluntary muscle movements, leading to muscle weakness, coordination loss, and eventual paralysis. Motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord results in the necessity for assistive technologies for basic functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that specifically targets motor neurons in the brain and the spinal cord. These neurons are essential for controlling voluntary muscle movement. As ALS progresses, the lateral areas of the spinal cord, which are responsible for sending signals to muscles, undergo sclerosis or hardening. This impairs the ability to send signals, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Eventually, the deterioration of motor neurons results in severe coordination issues and paralysis. ALS patients, fully aware of their condition due to typically unimpaired cognition, may require assistive technologies like brain-computer interfaces for communication as their abilities decline.
The motor neurons that are affected by ALS control voluntary muscle movements like walking, speaking, breathing, and swallowing. Muscle weakening and the loss of coordination are among the first symptoms, eventually causing paralysis and necessitating machine assistance for vital functions such as respiration. Calcium dysregulation has been identified as a central factor in ALS, contributing to the selective degeneration of motor neurons.