ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord , which results in muscle weakness and atrophy . Stephen Hawking is a rare case of someone who has survived decades with ALS . He was diagnosed in 2003, and he died last year at the age of 66. Symptoms vary from person to person ; some lose their speech but others do not . Clinical trials are in progress for a variety of treatments .
Stephen Hawking is a rare case of someone who has survived decades with ALS . He was diagnosed in 2003, and he died last year at the age of 66. Symptoms vary from person to person ; some lose their speech but others do not . Clinical trials are in progress for a variety of treatments .