đŸ”— Share this article What is Motor Neurone Disease and Do Sportspeople More Likely to Be Diagnosed? Motor neurone disease affects nerve cells located in the brain and spine, that instruct your muscle tissue how to function. This leads them to weaken and stiffen gradually and typically impacts your walking, speak, consume food and breathe. It is a relatively rare condition that is most common in people over 50, but grown-ups of all ages can be impacted. An individual's lifetime risk of contracting MND is 1 out of 300. About 5,000 adults in the UK will have the condition at any one time. Scientists are not sure the cause of MND, but it is probable to be a mix of the genetic material - or inherited characteristics - you inherit from your mother and father when you are delivered, and other environmental influences. For up to one in 10 people with MND, particular genetic factors 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 impacts each person uniquely. Not all individuals has the identical signs, or experiences them in the identical sequence. The disease can progress at different speeds too. Among the most frequent indicators are: loss of muscle strength and muscle spasms stiff joints difficulties in how you speak issues with ingesting, eating and drinking reduced cough reflex Is There a Treatment? No definitive treatment, but there is optimism coming from treatments focused on different forms of MND. MND is not one disease - it is really several that result in the death of motor neurones. An innovative medication called tofersen works in just 2% of patients, however it has been demonstrated to slow - and in some cases even reverse - some of the symptoms of MND. It has been referred to as "absolutely groundbreaking" and a "significant point of hope" for the whole disease. Although the drug has recently received approval in the EU, it is not currently accessible in the UK. Just one drug presently approved for the management of MND in the UK and endorsed by the NHS. Riluzole may slow down the progression of the condition and increase survival by a few months, but it cannot repair harm. Determining Survival Rate for MND? Some people can survive for decades with MND, including renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, who was identified at the twenty-two years old and survived until 76. But for the majority, the disease progresses quickly and life expectancy is only several years. Based on the charity MND Association, the disease claims the lives of a one-third of individuals within a year and more than half within 24 months of identification. As the neurons cease functioning, ingestion and breathing become more challenging and many people need nutritional support or breathing apparatus to help them stay alive. Are Athletes More Likely to Be Diagnosed? The precise reason has not been identified, 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 contracting MND. Research from 2022 by the University of Glasgow involving four hundred former Scotland rugby union players concluded they had an increased risk of acquiring the condition. Researchers additionally discovered that rugby athletes who have suffered multiple concussions have physiological variations that could render them more susceptible to contracting MND. The MND Association recognizes there is a "link" between contact sports and MND. It noted that while the athletes studied were had a greater chance to acquire MND, it did not prove the athletic activities directly caused the condition. The organization also emphasises that "documented MND instances in this research is still relatively low, and so determining there is a definite increased risk could be misinterpreted if this is simply a cluster due to random chance". Several prominent sports figures have been diagnosed with the disease in recent years. These include former rugby union internationals, footballers, and cricketers. In the United States, MLB athlete Lou Gehrig died from the disease at the age of 39.