Motor neurone disease

Motor neurone disease describes a group of rare, fatal, neurodegenerative disorders. They are devastating conditions that cause the loss of upper and/or lower motor neurones, leading to a variety of progressive neurological symptoms that can develop over months to years. Due to the rarity of these conditions and the differing and often insidious symptoms there is typically a prolonged delay between presentation and diagnosis of between 15 and 18 months on average. There is often a short prognosis of 3 years, though this can vary significantly depending on the type of syndrome diagnosed. Primary care clinicians play a key role in both facilitating early diagnosis and subsequent management and co-ordination of care in the community.