AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS : A REVIEW

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also called Lou Gehrig's disease is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) that responsible for controlling voluntary muscles.several known ALS genes were fund to be associated and TBK1 (the gene encoding TANK binding kinase) was identified as an ALS gene. In the United States, more than 5,600 are diagnosed every year, and up to 30,000 Americans are currently affected. ALS is responsible for two deaths per 100,000 people per year. Smoking, Lead exposure & Heredity are the major factor for ALS. No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug i.e. riluzole (Rilutek)—in 1995. Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate. However, new medications or combinations of drugs would be beneficial for cure or prevention of diaease.