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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 1(ALS1)

MedGen UID:
400169
Concept ID:
C1862939
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: ALS1; AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS 1, FAMILIAL; SOD1-Related Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
SNOMED CT: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 1 (1201863001); ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) type 1 (1201863001); ALS1 - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 1 (1201863001)
 
Genes (locations): DCTN1 (2p13.1); NEFH (22q12.2); PRPH (12q13.12); SOD1 (21q22.11)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0007103
OMIM®: 105400

Definition

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the death of motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord, resulting in fatal paralysis. ALS usually begins with asymmetric involvement of the muscles in middle adult life. Approximately 10% of ALS cases are familial (Siddique and Deng, 1996). ALS is sometimes referred to as 'Lou Gehrig disease' after the famous American baseball player who was diagnosed with the disorder. Rowland and Shneider (2001) and Kunst (2004) provided extensive reviews of ALS. Some forms of ALS occur with frontotemporal dementia (FTD); see 105500. Ranganathan et al. (2020) provided a detailed review of the genes involved in different forms of ALS with FTD, noting that common disease pathways involve disturbances in RNA processing, autophagy, the ubiquitin proteasome system, the unfolded protein response, and intracellular trafficking. The current understanding of ALS and FTD is that some forms of these disorders represent a spectrum of disease with converging mechanisms of neurodegeneration. Familial ALS is distinct from a form of ALS with dementia reported in cases on Guam (105500) (Espinosa et al., 1962; Husquinet and Franck, 1980), in which the histology is different and dementia and parkinsonism complicate the clinical picture. Genetic Heterogeneity of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS is a genetically heterogeneous disorder, with several causative genes and mapped loci. ALS6 (608030) is caused by mutation in the FUS gene (137070) on chromosome 16p11; ALS8 (608627) is caused by mutation in the VAPB gene (605704) on chromosome 13; ALS9 (611895) is caused by mutation in the ANG gene (105850) on chromosome 14q11; ALS10 (612069) is caused by mutation in the TARDBP gene (605078) on 1p36; ALS11 (612577) is caused by mutation in the FIG4 gene (609390) on chromosome 6q21; ALS12 (613435) is caused by mutation in the OPTN gene (602432) on chromosome 10p13; ALS15 (300857) is caused by mutation in the UBQLN2 gene (300264) on chromosome Xp11; ALS18 (614808) is caused by mutation in the PFN1 gene (176610) on chromosome 17p13; ALS19 (615515) is caused by mutation in the ERBB4 gene (600543) on chromosome 2q34; ALS20 (615426) is caused by mutation in the HNRNPA1 gene (164017) on chromosome 12q13; ALS21 (606070) is caused by mutation in the MATR3 gene (164015) on chromosome 5q31; ALS22 (616208) is caused by mutation in the TUBA4A gene (191110) on chromosome 2q35; ALS23 (617839) is caused by mutation in the ANXA11 gene (602572) on chromosome 10q23; ALS26 (619133) is caused by mutation in the TIA1 gene (603518) on chromosome 2p13; ALS27 (620285) is caused by mutation in the SPTLC1 gene (605712) on chromosome 9q22; and ALS28 (620452) is caused by mutation in the LRP12 gene (618299) on chromosome 8q22. Loci associated with ALS have been found on chromosomes 18q21 (ALS3; 606640) and 20p13 (ALS7; 608031). Intermediate-length polyglutamine repeat expansions in the ATXN2 gene (601517) contribute to susceptibility to ALS (ALS13; 183090). Susceptibility to ALS24 (617892) is conferred by mutation in the NEK1 gene (604588) on chromosome 4q33, and susceptibility to ALS25 (617921) is conferred by mutation in the KIF5A gene (602821) on chromosome 12q13. Susceptibility to ALS has been associated with mutations in other genes, including deletions or insertions in the gene encoding the heavy neurofilament subunit (NEFH; 162230); deletions in the gene encoding peripherin (PRPH; 170710); and mutations in the dynactin gene (DCTN1; 601143). Some forms of ALS show juvenile onset. See juvenile-onset ALS2 (205100), caused by mutation in the alsin (606352) gene on 2q33; ALS4 (602433), caused by mutation in the senataxin gene (SETX; 608465) on 9q34; ALS5 (602099), caused by mutation in the SPG11 gene (610844) on 15q21; and ALS16 (614373), caused by mutation in the SIGMAR1 gene (601978) on 9p13. [from OMIM]

Clinical features

From HPO
Dysphagia
MedGen UID:
41440
Concept ID:
C0011168
Disease or Syndrome
Difficulty in swallowing.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
MedGen UID:
274
Concept ID:
C0002736
Disease or Syndrome
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease that affects motor neurons, which are specialized nerve cells that control muscle movement. These nerve cells are found in the spinal cord and the brain. In ALS, motor neurons die (atrophy) over time, leading to muscle weakness, a loss of muscle mass, and an inability to control movement.\n\nThere are many different types of ALS; these types are distinguished by their signs and symptoms and their genetic cause or lack of clear genetic association. Most people with ALS have a form of the condition that is described as sporadic, which means it occurs in people with no apparent history of the disorder in their family. People with sporadic ALS usually first develop features of the condition in their late fifties or early sixties. A small proportion of people with ALS, estimated at 5 to 10 percent, have a family history of ALS or a related condition called frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is a progressive brain disorder that affects personality, behavior, and language. The signs and symptoms of familial ALS typically first appear in one's late forties or early fifties. Rarely, people with familial ALS develop symptoms in childhood or their teenage years. These individuals have a rare form of the disorder known as juvenile ALS.\n\nThe first signs and symptoms of ALS may be so subtle that they are overlooked. The earliest symptoms include muscle twitching, cramping, stiffness, or weakness. Affected individuals may develop slurred speech (dysarthria) and, later, difficulty chewing or swallowing (dysphagia). Many people with ALS experience malnutrition because of reduced food intake due to dysphagia and an increase in their body's energy demands (metabolism) due to prolonged illness. Muscles become weaker as the disease progresses, and arms and legs begin to look thinner as muscle tissue atrophies. Individuals with ALS eventually lose muscle strength and the ability to walk. Affected individuals eventually become wheelchair-dependent and increasingly require help with personal care and other activities of daily living. Over time, muscle weakness causes affected individuals to lose the use of their hands and arms. Breathing becomes difficult because the muscles of the respiratory system weaken. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure within 2 to 10 years after the signs and symptoms of ALS first appear; however, disease progression varies widely among affected individuals.\n\nApproximately 20 percent of individuals with ALS also develop FTD. Changes in personality and behavior may make it difficult for affected individuals to interact with others in a socially appropriate manner. Communication skills worsen as the disease progresses. It is unclear how the development of ALS and FTD are related. Individuals who develop both conditions are diagnosed as having ALS-FTD.\n\nA rare form of ALS that often runs in families is known as ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex (ALS-PDC). This disorder is characterized by the signs and symptoms of ALS, in addition to a pattern of movement abnormalities known as parkinsonism, and a progressive loss of intellectual function (dementia). Signs of parkinsonism include unusually slow movements (bradykinesia), stiffness, and tremors. Affected members of the same family can have different combinations of signs and symptoms.
Dysarthria
MedGen UID:
8510
Concept ID:
C0013362
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Dysarthric speech is a general description referring to a neurological speech disorder characterized by poor articulation. Depending on the involved neurological structures, dysarthria may be further classified as spastic, flaccid, ataxic, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic, or mixed.
Fasciculations
MedGen UID:
5124
Concept ID:
C0015644
Sign or Symptom
Fasciculations are observed as small, local, involuntary muscle contractions (twitching) visible under the skin. Fasciculations result from increased irritability of an axon (which in turn is often a manifestation of disease of a motor neuron). This leads to sporadic discharges of all the muscle fibers controlled by the axon in isolation from other motor units.
Spasticity
MedGen UID:
7753
Concept ID:
C0026838
Sign or Symptom
A motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with increased muscle tone, exaggerated (hyperexcitable) tendon reflexes.
Pseudobulbar paralysis
MedGen UID:
10989
Concept ID:
C0033790
Disease or Syndrome
Bilateral impairment of the function of the cranial nerves 9-12, which control musculature involved in eating, swallowing, and speech. Pseudobulbar paralysis is characterized clinically by dysarthria, dysphonia, and dysphagia with bifacial paralysis, and may be accompanied by Pseudobulbar behavioral symptoms such as enforced crying and laughing.
Sleep apnea
MedGen UID:
11458
Concept ID:
C0037315
Disease or Syndrome
An intermittent cessation of airflow at the mouth and nose during sleep is known as sleep apnea. Apneas that last at least 10 seconds are considered significant, but individuals with sleep apnea may experience apneas lasting from 20 seconds up to 2 or 3 minutes. Patients may have up to 15 events per hour of sleep.
Hyperreflexia
MedGen UID:
57738
Concept ID:
C0151889
Finding
Hyperreflexia is the presence of hyperactive stretch reflexes of the muscles.
Degeneration of anterior horn cells
MedGen UID:
375215
Concept ID:
C1843505
Finding
Degeneration of the lateral corticospinal tracts
MedGen UID:
375921
Concept ID:
C1846566
Finding
Deterioration of the tissues of the lateral corticospinal tracts.
Muscle spasm
MedGen UID:
52431
Concept ID:
C0037763
Sign or Symptom
Sudden and involuntary contractions of one or more muscles.
Muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
57735
Concept ID:
C0151786
Finding
Reduced strength of muscles.
Muscular atrophy
MedGen UID:
892680
Concept ID:
C0541794
Pathologic Function
The presence of skeletal muscular atrophy (which is also known as amyotrophy).

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Umar TP, Jain N, Papageorgakopoulou M, Shaheen RS, Alsamhori JF, Muzzamil M, Kostiks A
Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024 Aug;25(5-6):425-436. Epub 2024 Apr 2 doi: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2334836. PMID: 38563056
James E, Ellis C, Brassington R, Sathasivam S, Young CA
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2022 May 20;5(5):CD006981. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006981.pub3. PMID: 35593746Free PMC Article
Wadman RI, van der Pol WL, Bosboom WM, Asselman FL, van den Berg LH, Iannaccone ST, Vrancken AF
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 Jan 6;1(1):CD006282. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006282.pub5. PMID: 32006461Free PMC Article

Curated

Orphanet, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 2007

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