title: Three soccer playing friends with simultaneous amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease of largely unknown cause, predominantly affecting upper and lower motor neurons. A recent study in Italy suggested an increased incidence of ALS among professional Italian soccer players. We report a cluster of three amateur league soccer players who were friends from the same part of southern England, and developed ALS simultaneously. This might suggest that keen amateur soccer players are also at risk.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychology, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wicks
authors.forename: Jeban
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ganesalingham
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prevett
authors.forename: Nigel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Leigh
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Chalabi
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019782:Riluzole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019782:Riluzole