• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Target ALS

A New York based ALS research organization that's leading the fight for a cure.

  • DONATE
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Impact
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
  • For Scientists
    • Research Core Facilities
      • Longitudinal Biofluids Core
      • Human Postmortem Tissue Core
      • Genomic Datasets
      • Animal Models
      • In Vivo Target Validation Core
      • Stem Cell Core
      • Antibody Core
      • Viral Vector Core
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Funded Consortia
    • Annual Meeting
  • ALS Resources
    • The Science, Explained
    • Glossary
    • FAQ
    • Blog
    • Video Library
  • Take Action
    • Contact Us
    • Email Sign Up
    • Donate Now
    • Ways to Give
    • Donate Biofluid Samples
    • Corporate Council

Glossary

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.

ABCDEFGHIKLMNPRSTUWAll

limb onset ALS

When the initial ALS symptoms manifest as weakness in the limbs. Also called spinal onset ALS, it is the most common way ALS presents in a person.

lower motor neuron (LMN) disorders

A group of disorders that originate in the spinal cord, resulting in muscle atrophy and weakness.

lower motor neurons

Nerve cells that travel to the body's muscles, beginning in the spinal cord.

Footer

  • Challenge
  • Contact
  • Our Approach
  • Resources For Scientists
  • Donate
  • Call For Proposals
  • Funded Consortia
  • Annual Meeting
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits

Follow Us

guidestar charity-navigator

The Target ALS (TALS) website is intended for informational purposes only. Opinions expressed may not be that of TALS or its employees. For more information about our digital policies, click here.

© 2023 Target ALS Foundation, Inc.
Target ALS Foundation
P.O. Box 1598
New York, NY 10101
(332) 333-4140
Steck Insights WordPress Consulting