[Basic and clinical researches on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease]

This study includes three aspects: (1) we have reported some novel or rare mutations of SOD1 (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase) gene in Chinese families of ALS/MND, and found quite different features from Western patients in polymorphisms with some candidate genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in sporadic ALS/MND in China. Meanwhile, we have so for established a complete clinical database with more than 1 200 cases; (2) we have established some neurophysiologic techniques of diagnosis and differential diagnosis at early-stage for ALS/MND, which include trigemino-cervical response, sternocleidomastoid and rectus electromyography, contact heat evoked potentials, and motor unit number estimate; (3) we have attempted some experimental and clinical treatments for ALS/MND, which include gene and stem cell therapies in animal models, and a pilot clinical trial of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for ALS/MND patients (NCT00397423).