What is motor neurone disease?
Motor neurone disease (MND) is an uncommon condition that affects the brain and nerves. MND causes weakness that gets worse over time.
MND is an uncommon condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, but it can affect adults of all ages.
Causes of MND
MND is caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones. These cells gradually stop working over time. It is not known why this happens.
MND can significantly shorten life expectancy and eventually leads to death.
There's no cure for MND, but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has on a person's daily life. Some people live with the condition for many years.
Having a close relative with motor neurone disease, or a related condition called frontotemporal dementia, can sometimes mean you're more likely to get it. However, in most cases, MND does not run in families.