Genetics - The elusive ALS genes

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, motor neuron death causes irreversible wasting of skeletal muscles but the genetics associated with the etiology is still under investigation. Researchers are now employing new genetics tool, the whole-genome association study, to identify the genetic cause of the disease. According to various whole-genome association studies, different amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genes, like FLJ10986, ITPR2, DPP6, have been identified. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis gene hunting using this method is difficult because the disease is a spectrum of conditions and this method produces false leads to scientists when the patients DNA is tested for million or more single-nucleotide polymorphisms.