ALS symptoms: Actor Eric Dane diagnosed with MND - what is Lou Gehrig's Disease?

The illness, which is a form of motor neurone disease, causes a degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain.

Eric Dane, who appears in the TV series Euphoria and has been seen in dozens of shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Charmed, as well as films including Marley and Me, has revealed he has been diagnosed with the disease.

The 52-year-old told US website People: “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

Dane plays Jacobs family patriarch on Euphoria, which next week will begin production on its third series for HBO show. Off-screen he is married to Rebecca Gayheart - an actor who appeared in Scream - and the couple have two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.

What are the symptoms of ALS?

Adults of any age can get motor neurone disease but it usually affects people over the age of 50. ALS is the most common form of it.

The NHS says that motor neurone disease (MND) gets worse over several months or years and is usually life-shortening, but the speed of the change varies from person to person. In its outline of the disease, the NHS says symptoms include

• stiff or weak hands – you may have problems holding or gripping things
• weak legs and feet – you may find climbing stairs difficult, you may trip over a lot and you may find it hard to lift or move your foot (foot drop)
• twitches, spasms or muscle cramps (where muscles painfully tighten)

As MND gets worse, you may:

• have problems breathing, swallowing and speaking
• produce a lot of saliva (drool)
• have changes in your mood and personality
• be unable to walk or move

See a doctor if you have:

• difficulty holding or gripping objects
• weakness in your legs or feet
• twitches or muscle cramps that keep happening, last a long time or do not go away

How is MND diagnosed?

The NHS explains that if a GP thinks you might have motor neurone disease, they may refer you to a brain and nerve specialist (neurologist) for an assessment and some tests.

Tests used to help diagnose MND include:

• blood tests
• tests to check how well your nerves are working
• an MRI scan to help rule out other conditions that affect the brain and nerves

Why is it called Lou Gehrig’s Disease?

Lou Gehrig, who was born in 1903, was a baseball player who is commonly held to be one of the best of all time. He played for the New York Yankees between 1923 and 1939, and his strength and doggedness saw him earn the nickname the Iron Horse.

He played a then-record 2,130 consecutive games, before taking himself out of the line-up one day in 1939 because he was suffering from an ailment which was hampering his performance. This turned out to be ALS, and he retired later that season, before dying in 1941 aged 37.