What are the causes of MND?
For most people who develop it, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), appears for no apparent reason – known clinically as ‘sporadic MND’. However, in about 5- 10% of cases, family history of the disease indicates that inherited genetic damage causes the condition; this is termed ‘familial MND’.
Researchers are trying to understand the cause of MND from many angles: studying what factors may cause damage to motor neurones; and working backwards from damaged motor neurones, can they establish what causes the damage? The ultimate goals are discovering how to stop, slow down or prevent Motor Neurone Disease.

Why me?
Some of the most commonly asked questions from people living with MND include ‘Why me?’, ‘What caused me to develop this disease, was it my occupation, my hobby or the way I was made?’. Unfortunately these are the most difficult questions to answer.

How much of MND is inherited?
The instructions for life are encoded in genes that make up our DNA. We inherit half our genes from our mother and half from our father. For the majority of people who develop MND, their genetics play a very minor role in contributing towards the chances of developing MND. For a small percentage of people, who have the familial form of MND, their genetic make up may be more significant.

What causes motor neurones to die?
Painstaking research has provided evidence of disruption to many chemical reactions within the cellular 'infrastructure' of motor neurones and their support cells. This has parallels with the infrastructure within our towns and cities, for example: efficient energy production, a decent transport system, communication networks and regular refuse collections are all requirements for healthy motor neurones.