What Is ALS? Disease That Killed Actor Eric Dane at 53/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Actor Eric Dane died at 53 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects muscle control and breathing. There is no cure, and most patients live two to five years after symptoms begin.
What Is ALS? Disease That Killed Eric Dane Quick Looks
- ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Affects nerve cells in brain and spinal cord
- Causes muscle weakness, paralysis over time
- About 33,000 cases in U.S. in 2022
- Slightly more common in men
- No cure; treatments slow progression
- Most patients die from respiratory failure
Deep Look: What Is ALS? Disease That Killed Actor Eric Dane at 53
The death of actor Eric Dane at age 53 has drawn renewed attention to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS — a rare but devastating neurological disease that progressively robs patients of muscle control.
Dane, best known for roles in the television dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died less than a year after publicly sharing his diagnosis. His passing highlights both the severity and unpredictability of ALS.
What Is ALS?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the legendary New York Yankees player Lou Gehrig, who was diagnosed in 1939 and died two years later.
ALS attacks motor neurons — the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. As these neurons deteriorate and die, they stop sending signals to muscles. Without stimulation, muscles weaken, twitch, and eventually waste away.
Over time, patients lose the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and ultimately breathe on their own. The disease progressively leads to paralysis.
Importantly, ALS typically does not affect a person’s ability to think, see, hear, smell, taste, or feel touch. Many patients remain cognitively aware even as physical functions decline.
How Common Is ALS?
According to estimates cited by researchers and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 33,000 Americans were living with ALS in 2022. That number is projected to rise to more than 36,000 by 2030.
ALS is considered rare and occurs slightly more often in men than women. It most commonly develops between the ages of 40 and 60, though cases outside that range do occur.
The exact cause remains unknown. Most cases are sporadic, meaning they occur without a clear family history. A small percentage are inherited, resulting from genetic mutations passed down through families.
Early Symptoms and Progression
The early signs of ALS are often subtle. Initial symptoms may include muscle twitching, cramping, or weakness in a hand, arm, leg, or foot. Patients may notice difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as buttoning a shirt, or experience frequent tripping due to weakened ankles.
As the disease progresses, muscle weakness spreads. Speaking may become slurred, swallowing can grow difficult, and fatigue increases. Over time, paralysis extends to the muscles that control breathing.
Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death among ALS patients.
Diagnosis Challenges
Diagnosing ALS can be difficult because no single test confirms the disease. Physicians typically rely on physical exams, neurological assessments, lab tests, and imaging scans of the brain and spinal cord to rule out other conditions.
Doctors look for hallmark signs such as muscle twitching (fasciculations), stiffness (spasticity), abnormal reflexes, and loss of coordination.
Because symptoms overlap with other neurological disorders, arriving at a definitive diagnosis can take time.
Treatment and Life Expectancy
There is currently no cure for ALS. However, medications and supportive therapies can help manage symptoms and modestly extend survival.
Riluzole is one FDA-approved medication that may slow disease progression, particularly in early stages. It can modestly prolong survival or delay the need for assisted breathing.
Another drug, Relyvrio, was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2024 after further evaluation of its effectiveness. The medication had gained attention following support from advocacy groups, including the ALS Association, which rose to prominence during the 2014 “Ice Bucket Challenge” fundraising campaign.
Supportive care plays a crucial role in managing ALS. Patients may require feeding tubes as swallowing becomes difficult. Braces, wheelchairs, communication devices, and ventilators can improve quality of life as the disease advances.
Life expectancy varies. Most individuals live between two and five years after symptoms begin, though some survive longer. Approximately 20% of patients live more than five years following diagnosis, and a smaller percentage survive a decade or more.
Raising Awareness
High-profile cases — from Lou Gehrig to Eric Dane — have brought public attention to ALS, spurring research funding and advocacy efforts. While scientific understanding of the disease has advanced, significant gaps remain in prevention, treatment, and cure development.
As researchers continue searching for breakthroughs, ALS remains one of the most challenging neurological diseases — progressive, incurable, and deeply life-altering for patients and families alike.
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