Understanding ALS: How Motor Neuron Degeneration Causes Muscle Weakness #3658638 (License: Personal Use)

On the left, a normal motor neuron transmits signals via its axon to the neuromuscular junction, enabling muscle contraction. On the right, in ALS, the motor neuron degenerates-its axon atrophies and loses connectivity, resulting in the muscle’s inability to contract despite intact muscle tissue. The central figure highlights the widespread impact of ALS on the nervous system, particularly upper and lower motor neurons throughout the spinal cord and brainstem.

Used on medical education pages, ALS awareness sites, or neurology resource hubs to visually explain pathophysiology; targets patients, caregivers, and students seeking to understand disease mechanisms.