What is bulbar als?

Cranial nerves: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease where the nerve cells degenerate which leads to muscle weakness and death, the cause is unknown. The bulbar form affects the cranial nerves, they supply the face and neck structures. Riluzole is a drug that may help.

Motor neuron disease: A variant of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka lou gehrig's disease. This variant affects motor neurons in the brain stem, leading to lower cranial nerve dysfunction.

Very worrisome: When ALS begins to destroy nerve cells in the base of the brain, the patient develops loss of ability to swallow and eventually even breathe. This is indeed ominous when it occurs and often leads to early demise.

Bulbar ALS: ALS may affect groups of muscles rather than the entire body. This could be both legs, both arms, or the muscles of the face. Bulbar ALS is a form when the muscles of swallowing, speaking, and facial expression are weak- the so-called bulbar muscles.