Study Finds Possible Link Between Gene Mutation and ALS
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new study identified a gene mutation that may be linked to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
According to HealthDay News, the study was led by the U.S. National Institute on Aging and was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. DNA was taken from families with several members diagnosed with ALS, and researchers found that a number of people in those families had a mutation in their Matrin 3 gene.
The Matrin 3 gene interacts with a protein that binds to RNA, HealthDay News says. Matrin 3 gene mutation is directly linked with ALS.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke say that 20,000-30,000 people in the U.S. have ALS, and 5,000 more are diagnosed every year.
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