Medicine
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
5 hours agoHow geneticists uncovered a common root of two neurological diseases
Frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may share the same genetic causes despite their clinical differences.
It affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control and getting worse over time. ALS causes nerve cells in the upper and lower parts of the body to stop working and die. Nerves no longer trigger specific muscles, eventually leading to paralysis. People with ALS may develop problems with mobility, speaking, swallowing and breathing.