Overview of Lipid Biomarkers in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease involving motor neuron (MN) degeneration in the spinal cord, brain stem and primary motor cortex. The existence of inflammatory processes around MN and axonal degeneration in ALS has been shown. Unfortunately, none of the successful therapies in ALS animal models has improved clinical outcomes in patients with ALS. Therefore, the detection of blood biomarkers to be used as screening tools for disease onset and progression has been an expanding research area with few advances in the development of drugs for the treatment of ALS. In this review, we will address the available data analyzing regarding the relationship of lipid metabolism and lipid derived- products with ALS. We will address the advances on the studies about the role that lipids plays at the onset, progression and lifespan extension of ALS patients.