We can harness the power of Al to 'outpace' MND

ONE in 300 of us will develop motor neurone disease in our lifetime. It is a hideous disease that robs a person of their dignity and eventually their life.

- By Dr Brian Dickie

MND damages the nerves in the brain and spinal cord called motor neurones preventing signals from reaching muscles.

This causes the muscles to weaken, stiffen and eventually stop working. Over time, even the muscles used for swallowing and breathing are affected.

In the UK, around 5,000 people are living with MND at any one time. About 90% of them have the most common form: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

There are currently only limited treatments that can slow the disease for a short time.

The sheer complexity of MND means there is no effective long-term therapy. But there's hope we may be at a turning point.

Public awareness about the disease has increased dramatically in the last decade, thanks to the tireless efforts of figures like Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield and Doddie Weir.

The viral Ice Bucket Challenge and campaigns like our call for increased government funding for MND research, supported by the Sunday Express, have brought MND and ALS into the spotlight.

This awareness has translated into generous public donations to the MND Association and other charities, enabling significant investment in MND research.