1. Group of diseases
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move around, speak, swallow and breathe fail to work normally and eventually die. With no nerves to activate them, the muscles gradually weaken and waste. There is currently no truly effective treatment and no known cure.
2. Diagnosis
Every day two Australians are diagnosed with MND, with the average onset age being 50.
3. Symptoms
Early symptoms are mild and include muscle wasting, muscle weakness, fasciculations (muscle twitching), difficulty swallowing and with speech, muscle cramps and spasms.
