MND progressively affects the motor neuron sensors responsible for sending signals from the spinal cord to muscles. In a lot of cases, tasks as simple as talking and swallowing become impossible. At present, as there is no cure for this, the average life expectancy may be shortened. The symptoms may start in the arms, legs, respiratory, and swallowing muscles and then spread to other regions. Difficulty performing fine tasks like buttoning, writing, closing the jar lid, slipping of footwear, nasal speech chocking while eating and drinking, and frequent falls on uneven surfaces are some of the early symptoms. The medical treatment for MND and ALS is only palliative and symptomatic.

In July–August 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice and water on someone’s head to promote awareness of the disease (ALS, also known as motor neurone disease and in the US as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and encourage donations to research, went viral. The challenge encourages nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and then nominating others to do the same. A common stipulation is that nominated participants have 24 hours to comply or forfeit by way of a charitable donation.