Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a group of rare neurological diseases that involve neurons responsible for controlling voluntary movements, such as chewing, walking, and speaking.
The disease is progressive and has no cure.
Gradually, all muscles under voluntary control are affected and the person loses strength and the ability to speak, eat, move, and even breathe.
But they retain their ability to perform higher mental processes, such as reasoning, memory, understanding, and problem solving. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with ALS when he was just 22 years old.
Most people with ALS die of respiratory failure within 3 to 5 years after symptoms appear. However, Hawking managed to survive the disease for more than 50 years.
Why? About 10 percent of people with ALS survive 10 years or more. Also, the younger the disease begins to show signs, the slower it seems to progress.
This was the case with Hawking, in whom the disease seemed to have stabilized. Most neurologists agree that it is an exceptional case.
In a paper published by the Annals of Neurosciences in 2009, Hawking described how he feels about his illness.
“The answer is, not much. I try to lead my life normally and not think about my condition, or regret the things that prevent me from doing, which are not so many, “he wrote.
Referencia: ‘Dr Stephen Hawking’s disability advice’. Annals of Neurosciences, Volume 16, Number 3, July 2009. Doi: 10.5214/ans.0972.7531.2009.160302
