What Is ALS? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Amyotrophic is Greek, meaning no muscle nourishment. When a muscle has no nourishment, it wastes away, or "atrophies". The term "lateral" identifies a person's spinal cord areas where portions of the nerve cells that signal and … [Read more...]