Decoding Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Discovery of Novel Disease-Related Biomarkers and Future Perspectives in Neurodegeneration

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) belongs to the group of motor neuron diseases, in which the degeneration, the weakness of voluntary muscles, and death of motor neurons gradually spread along disease progression. ALS comes from Greek language and means “no muscle nourishment” (“amyotrophic”), “area of the spinal cord where affected nerve cells are localized” (“lateral”), and “the degeneration and hardening of the spinal cord” (“sclerosis”). The fundamental contributions of the celebrated neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot at the end of the nineteenth century provided the first description of ALS...

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Focus on Disease Progression

Since amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was discovered and described in 1869 as a neurodegenerative disease in which motor neuron death is induced, a wide range of biomarkers have been selected to identify therapeutic targets. ALS shares altered molecular pathways with other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. However, the molecular targets that directly influence its aggressive nature remain unknown.What is the first link in the neurodegenerative chain of ALS that makes this disease so peculiar? In this review, we will discuss the progression of the disease from the viewpoint of the potential biomarkers described to date in human and animal model samples. Finally, we will consider potential therapeutic strategies for ALS treatment and future, innovative perspectives