Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is indeed quite rare, and the average life expectancy following diagnosis is around two to three years. However, there have been recent reports of a patient who has survived for 29 years since being diagnosed. So, what causes MND?
According to Dr. Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist, lecturer, and University Secretary at YARSI University (which is affiliated with Griffith University in Australia), MND often goes undiagnosed because its early symptoms frequently resemble those of other conditions. Examples include weakness in the muscles of the hands and legs, mimicking the effects of a stroke as well as difficulty swallowing or impaired speech.
Furthermore, MND affects men more frequently than women, and those affected are typically over the age of 50. So, how can this disease be detected early? What about treatment? Dr. Dicky Budiman explains that due to the similarity of symptoms to other diseases and a lack of research in this area, doctors often struggle to make an accurate diagnosis. Dr. Dicky Budiman discusses these points and related issues in his interview with SBS Indonesian.
