Broad Data Analysis Points to Genetic Similarities Between ALS and a Form of Dementia

Researchers from UC San Francisco have identified two previously unrecognized genetic risks that are significantly associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - one of which is also a risk factor for frontotemporal dementia (FTD), another neurodegenerative disease which typically weakens a different set of brain functions. The study, published April 9, 2018 in JAMA Neurology, is the largest analysis to date of genetic data in ALS.

The study, co-authored by Rahul Desikan, MD, PhD, an assistant professor with the UC San Francisco Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, was a broad analysis of data from previous studies. In identifying genetic mutations in neurodegenerative diseases alongside the biochemical processes affected by these gene mutations, scientists hope to better break down how these diseases originate and how they might be treated.

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