Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects certain types of neurons in the brain and spinal cord, causing voluntary muscle atrophy. Although ALS has a low prevalence, its high mortality makes it one of the most intractable diseases. Mean survival time from the onset is three to five years, but some people could live for more than 10 years while slowly losing mobility. Over the long course of the disease, ALS brings a huge financial and emotional burden to patients and their families.
There are several factors involved in the pathogenesis of ALS. About 5 to 10% of ALS are familial and caused by mutations in one of several genes. The dense intraneuronal deposits of misfolded protein are also common histopathological hallmarks of ALS. However, none of these factors can fully explain the pathogenesis of ALS. Despite huge interests in the pathogenesis of the disease, the details of the ALS pathogenesis remain unclear. Unfortunately, so far, there is no effective treatment to cure or stop the progression of ALS. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of ALS may help us to find novel therapeutic targets for curing, stopping the progression or even preventing it.
This Research Topic focuses on the molecular mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis and the related translational potential. We seek Original Research Articles and Reviews that cover but are not limited to the following topics:
1. Studying molecular mechanisms of the ALS pathogenesis in cell and animal models using genomics and proteomics approaches, and its translational potential.
2. Investigating the common molecular mechanisms between the pathogenesis of ALS and other closely related neurodegenerative motor disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects certain types of neurons in the brain and spinal cord, causing voluntary muscle atrophy. Although ALS has a low prevalence, its high mortality makes it one of the most intractable diseases. Mean survival time from the onset is three to five years, but some people could live for more than 10 years while slowly losing mobility. Over the long course of the disease, ALS brings a huge financial and emotional burden to patients and their families.
There are several factors involved in the pathogenesis of ALS. About 5 to 10% of ALS are familial and caused by mutations in one of several genes. The dense intraneuronal deposits of misfolded protein are also common histopathological hallmarks of ALS. However, none of these factors can fully explain the pathogenesis of ALS. Despite huge interests in the pathogenesis of the disease, the details of the ALS pathogenesis remain unclear. Unfortunately, so far, there is no effective treatment to cure or stop the progression of ALS. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of ALS may help us to find novel therapeutic targets for curing, stopping the progression or even preventing it.
This Research Topic focuses on the molecular mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis and the related translational potential. We seek Original Research Articles and Reviews that cover but are not limited to the following topics:
1. Studying molecular mechanisms of the ALS pathogenesis in cell and animal models using genomics and proteomics approaches, and its translational potential.
2. Investigating the common molecular mechanisms between the pathogenesis of ALS and other closely related neurodegenerative motor disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.