Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Parkinson's Disease: Overview01:15

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

2.4K
Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is...
2.4K
Amyloid Fibrils03:03

Amyloid Fibrils

13.0K
Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins.  Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called fibrils. 
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen.   In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
13.0K
Cross-bridge Cycle01:26

Cross-bridge Cycle

124.8K
As muscle contracts, the overlap between the thin and thick filaments increases, decreasing the length of the sarcomere—the contractile unit of the muscle—using energy in the form of ATP. At the molecular level, this is a cyclic, multistep process that involves binding and hydrolysis of ATP, and movement of actin by myosin.
124.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Antisense Oligonucleotide Tofersen Distribution in the Central Nervous System of SOD1-ALS Autopsy Tissue Donors.

JAMA neurology·2026
Same author

TDP-43 subtypes shape transcriptomic signatures in Alzheimer's disease.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

The Target ALS Global Natural History Study: Cross-platform proteomics to accelerate biofluid biomarker and drug target discovery in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

Addressing the needs of nano-rare patients: the n-Lorem experience.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

Diagnostic differences between military veterans and non-veterans: data from the United States National ALS Registry.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration·2026
Same author

Expanding the Motor Band Sign in Motor Neuron Disease Using 7T MRI: Visualization of Cortical Layer-Dependent Iron Deposition in the Primary Motor Cortex.

Muscle & nerve·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Real-Time Fluorescent Measurement of Synaptic Functions in Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
08:59

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

Published on: July 16, 2021

3.2K

Potential Environmental Factors in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Björn Oskarsson1, D Kevin Horton2, Hiroshi Mitsumoto3

  • 1UC Davis Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic, An ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence, University of California Davis Medical Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3700, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.

Neurologic Clinics
|October 31, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causes remain largely unknown, with genetic factors in 20-100% of cases. Environmental factors may contribute to ALS in susceptible individuals, but definitive causes are elusive.

Keywords:
ALSEnvironmental risk factorsEpidemiologyGenderMilitary serviceOxidative stressSmoking

More Related Videos

Primary Cultures of Rat Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Use in the Study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
09:36

Primary Cultures of Rat Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Use in the Study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Published on: June 23, 2022

4.1K
Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
07:00

Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Published on: October 13, 2016

8.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Real-Time Fluorescent Measurement of Synaptic Functions in Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
08:59

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

Published on: July 16, 2021

3.2K
Primary Cultures of Rat Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Use in the Study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
09:36

Primary Cultures of Rat Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Use in the Study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Published on: June 23, 2022

4.1K
Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
07:00

Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Published on: October 13, 2016

8.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) etiology is complex and not fully understood.
  • Genetic factors account for a significant portion of ALS cases, including familial and sporadic forms.
  • Environmental influences are suspected contributors to ALS development, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and discuss potential environmental and genetic factors implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  • To explore the multifactorial nature of ALS, encompassing both inherited predispositions and external exposures.
  • To highlight the challenges in establishing definitive causation for environmental risk factors in ALS.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk factors.
  • Analysis of genetic data, including monogenetic and multigenetic determinants.
  • Examination of epidemiological evidence for environmental exposures and geographic patterns.

Main Results:

  • Monogenetic factors contribute to approximately 20% of ALS cases (10% familial).
  • Multigenetic factors may account for an additional 20% to 80% of cases.
  • Several environmental factors, including male gender, smoking, military service, and chemical exposures, are discussed as potential contributors, though direct causation is not proven.

Conclusions:

  • The causes of ALS are likely multifactorial, involving a complex interplay of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures.
  • While genetic determinants are identified in a subset of patients, environmental factors warrant further investigation to elucidate their role in ALS pathogenesis.
  • Establishing definitive causal links between environmental factors and ALS remains a significant challenge in the field.