Nature meets nurture in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

Mutations in approximately thirty genes have been uncovered as a cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and several others have been identified as phenotype modifiers. 1 Ranganathan R Haque S Coley K Shepheard S Cooper-Knock J Kirby J Multifaceted genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia. Front Neurosci. 2020; 14: 684 Crossref PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar These discoveries have advanced our understanding of this rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease and paved the way for targeted therapeutics. In particular, these advances have redefined ALS as a multisystem disorder involving degeneration of the pyramidal motor system and the frontal cortices. Associations between lifestyle and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis stratified by C9orf72 genotype: a longitudinal, population-based, case-control studyLifestyle during the presymptomatic phase differs between patients with ALS and controls decades before onset, depends on C9– status, and is probably part of the presymptomatic causal cascade. Identification of modifiable disease-causing lifestyle factors offers opportunities to lower risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. Full-Text PDF