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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Real-Time Fluorescent Measurement of Synaptic Functions in Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Real-Time Fluorescent Measurement of Synaptic Functions in Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Published on: July 16, 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-Evolutionary and other perspectives.

¹Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, 2862 Highbury Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6R 3T6, Canada. eisen@interchange.ubc.ca

|July 18, 2009

Summary

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may stem from neocortical circuitry dysfunction, potentially beginning in adolescence or earlier. The unique neocortical evolution in humans may explain why animal models fail to replicate ALS.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Evolutionary Biology
Neurology

Background:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presents puzzling aspects, including its clinical manifestations and onset.
Neurodegenerative diseases like ALS are often linked to dysfunctional neocortical circuitry.
The evolutionary trajectory of the human neocortex is a key consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore particular and puzzling aspects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
To emphasize the role of neocortical evolution in ALS.
To discuss the timing of ALS onset and its relationship to neocortical changes.

Main Methods:

Review and discussion of existing literature on ALS.
Analysis of anatomical and evolutionary aspects of the neocortex, motor cortex, and corpus callosum.
Exploration of the nature of the clinical deficit in ALS.

Main Results:

ALS may originate from dysfunctional neocortical circuitry.
The disease may initiate years before clinical symptoms, possibly in adolescence or earlier, marked by neocortical alterations.
The unique neocortical evolution in humans might explain the limitations of current animal models for ALS.

Conclusions:

Dysfunctional neocortical circuitry is a potential cause of ALS.
ALS onset may precede clinical diagnosis by many years, linked to early neocortical changes.
Human-specific neocortical evolution presents challenges for developing accurate animal models of ALS.