The article discusses how new research suggests that certain genetic factors may protect neurons from the degenerative disease known as ALS. A study was done on ALS patients who had actually recovered from the disease, which I did not even know was possible to make a recovery on. Researchers discovered an SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) that reduces levels of a protein that blocks the IGF-1 signaling pathway and those with the SNP were 12 times more likely to recover than those without it. IGF-1 is a growth factor that plays a role in protecting motor neurons. Thus, usually those with ALS have lower levels of IGF-1 since the disease targets motor neurons.
This article fascinates me because I feel like ALS is the type of disease that doctors make out to be incurable since I did not know it was possible to recover. Also just goes to show how some people can be really lucky with their genes because they can be responsible for whether or not one succumbs to a disease.
It's great that there are methods to combat neurodegenerative diseases that have shown promise.
ReplyDeleteThis summary of recent ALS research is incredibly well-written and fascinating. It's amazing to learn that a certain genetic mutation might significantly affect a person's ability to recover from an illness as challenging as ALS. It's fascinating to think about how advances in genetic research may result in more effective treatment options.
ReplyDeleteThis article on the genetic factors influencing ALS recovery is very interesting. The discovery of the SNP related to IGF-1 signaling provides hope and new directions for ALS research and treatment. The detailed explanation of how genetic variability can impact disease outcomes is informative.
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