ABSTRACT
The diagnosis of ALS relies on the simultaneous presence of
signs and symptoms of damage of the upper and lower motor
neurons, which in most patients are rapidly progressive and lead
to death by respiratory failure within two to four years. Other
classical diagnostic features are the focal onset of the diseases
which progressively spread to the entire voluntary motor system
and the presence of fasciculations. The latter aspect of the disease
leads to a false positive diagnosis of ALS if benign fasciculations
are misinterpreted as unequivocal signs of the disease. In clinical
practice, the diagnosis of ALS can be made using medical history,
physical examination, and diagnostic tests.
