Genetic Mutations in Parents May Increase Risk of ALS in Children

Researchers at The Flanders Institute for Biotechnology in Belgium have reportedly discovered that children of parents with the C9orf72 genetic mutation are at an increased risk of developing frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The frontal lobes and temporal lobes are affected first in FTD resulting behavior and personality changes in patients, while memory loss occurs later. ALS affects nerve cells that control muscle activity in the brain and spinal cord, subsequently causing patients to lose muscle mass and strength, leading to the loss of speaking, swallowing and eventually breathing.