ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and it affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. As it is known, our motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. In ALS there is a progressive degeneration of the motor neurons which eventually leads to their death. After the motor neurons die, the ability of our brain to initiate and control muscle movement will be lost. Patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.