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Real-Time Fluorescent Measurement of Synaptic Functions in Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: July 16, 2021
Autoimmune disease preceding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: an epidemiologic study
Martin R Turner1, Raph Goldacre, Sreeram Ramagopalan
1From the Oxford University Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (M.R.T., K.T.), John Radcliffe Hospital; Oxford University Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology (R.G., M.J.G.), Department of Public Health; and Oxford University Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (S.R.), Oxford, UK.
Neurology
|August 16, 2013
Summary
People with prior autoimmune diseases, such as asthma and multiple sclerosis, have an increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This finding suggests potential shared risk factors between these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Autoimmune diseases involve the immune system attacking the body's own tissues.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals with a history of autoimmune disease have a higher incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Main Methods:
- Utilized an all-England hospital record-linkage dataset from 1999-2011.
- Constructed cohorts based on specific autoimmune diseases.
- Compared ALS incidence in autoimmune disease cohorts against a control group without prior autoimmune disease admission.
Main Results:
- A significantly higher than expected number of ALS cases were observed in individuals with prior diagnoses of asthma, celiac disease, younger-onset diabetes (under 30), multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, myxedema, polymyositis, Sjögren syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and ulcerative colitis.
Conclusions:
- The observed associations between autoimmune diseases and ALS suggest potential shared genetic or environmental risk factors.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms connecting autoimmune conditions and ALS.
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