Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nervous system, specifically the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary movement. Globally, approximately 400,000 people live with the condition and around 100,000 die from it each year.
In Europe, ALS affects about 50,000 people, according to the patient association ALS Liga. The prevalence is estimated at between two and six people per 100,000 individuals, and the disease is slightly more common in men. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 55 and 75 and typically live between two and five years after symptoms begin, although earlier onset is possible.
Eric Dane died at the age of 53, less than a year after publicly announcing his diagnosis.
How ALS Affects The Body
ALS targets motor neurons, which regulate voluntary movements such as walking, speaking and swallowing. As these nerve cells deteriorate, the brain’s messages can no longer reach the muscles effectively, leading to progressive muscle weakness and loss of control.
The disease often begins in the extremities, including the hands, feet, arms or legs, before spreading to other areas of the body.
Symptoms And Disease Progression
Symptoms vary depending on which nerve cells are affected. The first symptom is generally muscle weakness that gradually worsens over time. Common signs include difficulty walking or carrying out daily activities, weakness in the legs, feet or ankles, hand weakness, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. As the condition advances, muscle control continues to decline.
Types Of ALS
ALS can be classified according to where symptoms first appear. It may initially manifest in the legs, arms, or in the mouth and throat. Based on its cause, the disease is divided into two main categories.
Sporadic ALS accounts for around 90 per cent of cases and occurs randomly, with no clearly identified cause. According to the non profit academic medical centre Cleveland Clinic, this form develops without a known trigger. Familial ALS represents approximately 10 per cent of cases and is caused by inherited gene changes passed down within families.
Treatment And Support Options
There is no cure for ALS. However, treatments are available that can slow disease progression and improve quality of life. These include medication, therapy, rehabilitation, and nutritional and respiratory support. Care plans are typically tailored to the needs of each patient.
Reflections From Netflix’s “Famous Last Words”
In an interview filmed in November and released by Netflix following his death, Eric Dane spoke about living with ALS and how the diagnosis changed his outlook.
The interview forms part of the docuseries “Famous Last Words”, which features posthumous interviews with notable figures. In the episode, conducted by television producer Brad Falchuk, Dane appeared with noticeably slurred speech and used a motorised wheelchair.
“All I’m left with is me,” he said. “It’s kind of a f— up way of realising that you were enough the whole time, when everything gets taken away and all you have left is this person.”
He stated that the illness made him “a little bit softer, a little bit more open” and said it forced him to remain in the present.
In a final message addressed to his daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, he said: “This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit.”