Cure for motor neurone disease could be ‘possible’, experts reveal

EXPERTS reveal a cure for motor neuron disease (MND) may be ‘possible’.

It came after a charity set up by the late Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir announced this week it would invest millions of pounds in research.

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But what is MND?

An estimated 5,000 Britons live with it and there is a 1 in 300 lifetime risk of contracting it.

Doddie died last November aged just 52, six years after being diagnosed with MND.

Symptoms include muscle weakness, spasms and spasms, stiff joints, changes in thinking and behavior, speech and communication problems, difficulty swallowing, decreased cough or difficulty breathing.

dr Nicholas Cole, Research Director of the MND Association, said: “MND is a fatal, rapidly progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.

“It attacks the nerves that control movement, so the muscles stop working.

“MND affects everyone differently and the speed at which symptoms progress can vary.

“It cannot be stopped or undone.

“One drug (riluzole) has a modest effect in slowing down the disease, and therapies, devices and drugs can help people achieve the best possible quality of life.”

Half of people with MND die within two years of diagnosis, but up to ten percent, according to Professor Stephen Hawking, live a decade or more.

The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was set up by the rugby player in 2017 and will now focus on raising money for research into treatments.

dr Cole said, “There is currently no cure or effective treatment for MND.

“But the researchers are making great progress.”