What is the difference between sporadic and familial ALS?

The main difference between sporadic and familial cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is whether or not there is a family history of the disease. When ALS affects more than one person in the same biological family, it's referred to as familial ALS . The term sporadic ALS, on the other hand, is used to refer to any case of ALS in which there is no known family history of the disease. Sporadic ALS accounts for the vast majority — about 90% — of ALS cases.

What causes sporadic ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is marked by the progressive damage and death of motor neurons, the specialized nerve cells responsible for controlling movement. In sporadic ALS, it's not known exactly what causes the disease to develop, but a number of factors including genetics, environmental exposures, and lifestyle habits are all thought to affect a person's risk.

What age does sporadic ALS start?

Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can manifest at any age, but symptoms most commonly arise in middle or late adulthood. The average age at onset for sporadic ALS is 58-63. However, there have been reports of sporadic ALS cases manifesting during childhood and younger adulthood, with some cases being caused by de novo or specific new mutations in ALS-associated genes.

Can sporadic ALS be inherited?

By definition, sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects only one person in a biological family. As such, sporadic ALS cannot be inherited, although patients may be born with certain genetic characteristics that contribute to their disease risk. When ALS affects multiple people in the same family, it is referred to as familial ALS .

Is there a cure for sporadic ALS?

There is no cure for any form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, there are available treatments that may slow ALS disease progression and extend survival. Therapies to help manage disease symptoms like spasticity and excessive drooling also are available.

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Sporadic ALS

About 90% of cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the progressive neurological disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, are characterized as sporadic ALS, meaning they occur spontaneously. The term sporadic in ALS means without a clear pattern, and the individuals with these cases have no known family history of the disease.

March 17, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD

Anew’s ALS gene therapy shows promise in mice

Anew Medical‘s targeted gene therapy candidate, ANEW-202, eased multiple mechanisms associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), leading to improved muscle function and survival in a mouse model of the disease. The gene therapy, licensed on an exclusive worldwide basis from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in Spain, is…

March 16, 2023 Columns by Kristin Neva

Finding beauty in the little things while living with ALS

My husband, Todd, and I enjoy watching chickadees flit from a feeder that hangs from a mountain ash tree behind our house to one of the branches, where they crack the shells and eat the sunflower seeds. “Let Comet out,” Todd told me one morning. “There’s a squirrel in the…

March 16, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD

QurAlis secures $88M to advance ALS therapies

QurAlis has secured $88 million to advance the clinical development of QRL-101 and QRL-201, its lead candidates for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The new series B financing, a second round of funding after the company met certain research milestones, brings the total investment to $143.5 million. The proceeds will…

March 14, 2023 News by Mary Chapman

MDA’s Night of Hope in Atlanta to honor late ALS patient and family

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is hosting its 16th annual MDA Atlanta Night of Hope Gala: A Benefit for ALS Research to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research and care. The event will be held 6-11 p.m. EDT March 25 at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta. It…

March 13, 2023 News by Mary Chapman

ALS researcher Merit Cudkowicz to receive MDA legacy award

Renowned neurologist and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) investigator Merit Cudkowicz, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital has been named this year’s recipient of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Legacy Award for Achievement in Clinical Research. The award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in neuromuscular research, will be presented March 20…

March 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD

CNM-Au8 found to delay clinical worsening in ALS HEALEY trial

Treatment with CNM-Au8 significantly delayed clinical worsening in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new exploratory analyses from the therapy’s arm of the HEALEY ALS platform trial. The experimental therapy, from Clene Nanomedicine, had previously been found to reduce the risk of death by more…

March 9, 2023 Columns by Kristin Neva

Supporting those new to ALS with lessons from my experience

On the ski trail the other afternoon, I was feeling discouraged. I hadn’t slept well the previous couple of nights and had a low-grade headache, but I willed myself to keep going. Exercise is good for my body, and being in nature usually soothes my mind. They’re two of…

Types of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that can be classified into different types based on factors like genetics, a patient's family history, and the disorder's early symptoms. Across all types, ALS is marked by the loss of motor neurons...

March 8, 2023 News by Patricia Valerio, PhD

FDA names RAG-17, targeting ALS gene mutations, an orphan drug

RAG-17, an investigational therapy from Ractigen Therapeutics to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has been designated an orphan drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Orphan drug status is given to medicines intended to treat life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals…