Feb. 14, 2018
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Dr. Stephen Goutman, assistant professor of neurology and director of the ALS Center of Excellence at Michigan Medicine answers questions about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — and works to defeat it.
It’s a debilitating condition that worsens over time, eventually proving fatal. The ALS Association estimates that up to 30,000 Americans are living with ALS — a disease of the motor neurons in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord.
Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it presents an emotional challenge not only for patients but also for their loved ones. Still, “just because someone gets ALS, it doesn’t have to define them,” says Goutman. “It is a difficult, complex disease, and we’re all in this together.” He answered some common questions about ALS causes, research and treatment.
