Stephen Hawking's disease is a neuromuscular dystrophy, called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which causes symptoms such as progressive decrease in muscle strength, frequent spasms in the muscles or difficulty swallowing, for example.
The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis causes the progressive destruction of the neurons responsible for the movement of the muscles, leading to progressive paralysis of all muscle groups and, therefore, the muscles become thin and small bad.
Stephen Hawking's disease has no cure but there are treatments, such as physiotherapy and Riluzole ingestion, to delay the development of the disease and decrease the patient's dependence on daily activities.
Is Stephen Hawking's disease hereditary?
Stephen Hawkin's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is caused by a genetic change, and can be passed from parent to child. Thus, if there is a history of the disease in the family, it is recommended to have genetic counseling before becoming pregnant.
Learn more about this disease and how it is treated in:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Riluzole
