This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
It is a clinical truism that ALS is a degenerative disease of motor neurons. However, other neuronal populations also degenerate. For example, many patients develop abnormal frontal lobe executive function or frank frontotemporal dementia (FTD).1 Another truism is that certain motor nuclei are spared in ALS, namely, those that control the extraocular muscles and the urethral and anal sphincters. Eventually, patients who are maintained on long-term mechanical ventilation develop paralysis of those muscles and become “totally locked in” (TLI).2 Such patients are unable to move and are incapable of communicating with their external environment.
In the total absence of motor function, communication may be possible through manipulation of other physiologic functions. Wilhelm et al. in this issue report on their attempt to communicate with a TLI ALS patient through manipulation of …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
