<P> Amyotrophic comes from the Greek word amyotrophia: a - means "no", myo refers to "muscle", and trophia means "nourishment"; amyotrophia therefore means "no muscle nourishment," which describes the characteristic atrophy of the sufferer's disused muscle tissue . Lateral identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where affected portions of the nerve cells are located . Degeneration in this area leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis"). </P> <P> In Commonwealth countries and Ireland, the term "motor neurone disease" (MND) is commonly used . </P> <P> ALS is sometimes referred to as "Charcot's disease" because Jean - Martin Charcot was the first to connect the clinical symptoms with the pathology seen at autopsy . The term is ambiguous and can also refer to Charcot--Marie--Tooth disease and Charcot joint disease . </P> <P> In August 2014, a challenge went viral online, commonly known as the "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge". Contestants fill a bucket full of ice and water, then state who nominated them to do the challenge, and nominate three other individuals of their choice to take part in it . The contestants then dump the buckets of ice and water onto themselves . However, it can be done in a different order . The contestants then donate at least US $10 (or a similar amount in their local currency) to ALS research at the ALS Association, the ALS Therapy Development Institute, ALS Society of Canada or Motor Neurone Disease Association in the UK . Any contestants who refuse to have the ice and water dumped on them are expected to donate at least US $100 to ALS research . As of July 2015, the Ice Bucket Challenge had raised $115 million for the ALS Association . Many celebrities have taken part in the challenge . The Ice Bucket Challenge was credited with helping to raise funds that contributed to the discovery that the gene NEK1 may potentially contribute to the development for ALS . </P>

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als) is a demyelinating disease that results from nerve damage in the