Motor Neuron Disease (MND) is a rare hereditary disorder that causes progressive muscle disability, including muscles responsible for breathing, swallowing, chewing, speaking, and walking, leading to complete muscle paralysis and death within 12 to 18 months of diagnosis.

According to the Cleveland Clinic website, motor neurons are involved in muscle movements such as breathing, swallowing, chewing, speaking, and walking. In MND, these motor neurons gradually deteriorate over time, resulting in disability and eventual death.

The cause of the disease is unknown, and some MND cases are hereditary. It is estimated that the risk of developing this neurological condition in the UK is one in every 300 people, with about one in five cases linked to genes.

Symptoms of MND appear gradually and may not be obvious initially. Early symptoms may include:

    • Weakness in legs or ankles making climbing stairs harder or causing frequent tripping
    • Weak grip making it difficult to button shirts or open jars, or causing objects to drop easily
    • Muscle cramps and spasms
    • Weight loss as arms and legs become thinner over time
    • Difficulty controlling laughter or crying in inappropriate situations (pseudobulbar affect)

Although there is no cure for MND, treatments exist to help manage symptoms, including some medications and physical therapy to help maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility.

If swallowing difficulties occur, nutrition may be provided through a tube inserted via the abdominal wall into the stomach.

Recently, Louis Moody, former captain of the England rugby team aged 47, announced his diagnosis with MND. According to The Guardian, Moody is the latest prominent rugby player diagnosed with MND, following the deaths of Doddie Weir, former Scotland and Lions forward, Rob Burrow, English rugby league player, and South African midfielder Joost van der Westhuizen from the same disease over the past decade.

Several studies have indicated that professional rugby players are at higher risk of developing motor neuron disease, although no causal link between the sport and the disease has yet been established.