Signs and symptoms

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms are mild and may include:

Stumbling due to weakness of the leg muscles
Difficulty holding objects due to the weakness of the hand muscles
Slurring of speech or swallowing difficulties due to weakness of the tongue and throat muscles.
In some instances, people experience changes in their cognition and behaviour.

Emotional responses may be more easily triggered and the person with MND may be aware of laughing and crying more readily than previously.

Cramps and muscle twitching are also common symptoms.

The effects of MND - initial symptoms, rate and pattern of progression, and survival time after diagnosis - vary significantly from person to person. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is two to three years.

There is no specific test for MND. Diagnosis requires eliminating other possible conditions.

What remains unaffected?

Sensory function - For most people with MND the senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are not affected.

Bladder and bowel - The bowels and bladder are not affected by the disease, although diet and exercise should be carefully monitored. In the PLS (Primary Lateral Sclerosis) form of MND some people experience urinary urgency. Constipation can occur, especially when people become less mobile or have to change their diet due to swallowing difficulties.

Why is MND difficult to diagnose?

Diagnosing MND is difficult because:

the early symptoms can be hardly noticeable, e.g. clumsiness, stumbling, or slightly slurred speech, and it may be some time before medical advice is sought
the disease affects each individual in a different way, so there is no definitive set of symptoms
several other neurological conditions resemble MND, in the early stages especially, and need to be excluded.

Last updated:

2 August 2024