title: Genetic and epigenetic studies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: The identification of genetic and epigenetic factors that are associated with an increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or that modify the age of onset or rate of progression, requires a multimodal research strategy, facilitated through international collaboration. The discovery of several ALS genes strongly linked to RNA biology, the proteasome pathway, and axonal transport suggest they have an important role in pathogenesis, but the immense complexity of these processes is also apparent. The increasing rate of genetic discoveries brings the hope of designing more targeted and efficacious therapies.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK. ammar.al-chalabi@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Chalabi
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehler
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rouleau
authors.forename: Teepu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siddique
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Peter Nigel
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Leigh
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D001370:Axonal Transport; D018450:Disease Progression; D057890:Epigenomics; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics