New insights into the protein-mediated motor neuron loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Our movements are controlled by multiple neural pathways that connect the brain and spinal cord. In particular, neurons in the cerebral cortex send commands to the motor neurons in the spinal cord and then to the muscles, thus eliciting the required movement. This flow of neural information is compromised in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—a widespread progressive neurodegenerative disease in which the muscles gradually atrophy, making movement and breathing difficult.