Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease in the central nervous system that impacts the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a loss of muscle control.
It is colloquially referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, after the famous baseball player who battled it in the late 1930s, and does not yet have a cure. To better understand the language of ALS, the ALS Glossary below provides definitions for research terms commonly used by our Innovation Ecosystem and the extended ALS community.
electrodiagnostic tests
Testing that evaluates and diagnoses disorders of the muscles and motor neurons by recording electrical activity and muscle response. Examples include electromyography and nerve conduction velocity.
electromyography
Testing that records electrical activity of muscle tissue using electrodes attached to the skin or inserted into the muscle.
extrapyramidal system (EPS)
The part of the motor system involved in modulation and regulation of movement–for example, balance and walking.
