ALS is on the rise, tracking cases could tell us why

(InvestigateTV) — Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, has no cure, and the number of cases is projected to rise. The number of people in the U.S. with the disease is not known because doctors are not required to report cases to their health departments. A growing number of states are making reporting mandatory.ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is considered a rare disease, and experts say there is no explanation for why the numbers are rising.Living with ALSIn two years, ALS has taken Jennifer Robb’s ability to walk and to eat most solid food. It is now taking her ability to talk.Using the text-to-speech tool, Jennifer told us it’s a “constant challenge” where “every day gets harder with loss of function.”Her hands are her main source of communication, but Jennifer admitted they are getting weaker.ALS destroys the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. As motor neuron cells die, people lose the ability