Can sporadic ALS be inherited?

Marisa Wexler, MS avatar

by Marisa Wexler, MS |

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Category: Sporadic ALS

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.