Motor Neurone Disease
Motor neurone disease is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move around, speak, swallow and breathe, fail to work normally. With no nerves to activate them the muscles gradually weaken and waste. The patterns of weakness and rate of progression vary from person to person.
Recent data around the incidence of mortality demonstrate an increase in the number of deaths from MND in Australia during the last decade. The ageing population and interventions that improve life expectancy in MND are likely to result in a steady increase in the number of people living with MND in Australia.
- Each day at least one person dies from MND and another is diagnosed
- Average life expectancy is 2-3 years from diagnosis
- 1300 people are living with MND in Australia at any given time
- 998 people were registered with MND associations as at 30 June 2008
- Over 2000 items of equipment were loaned by MND Associations in 2007/08
For every person diagnosed with MND it is estimated that a further 14 members of their family and their friends will live with MND forever. Due to the rapid progression of MND and the spiralling series of losses MND has a significant impact on the physical and emotional well being of the carer.
Until a cure or an effective treatment for MND is discovered care and research must go hand in hand.
Information courtesy of MND Australia.
This disease is being researched in the following projects: