Does the gut drive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progress?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons and severe skeletal muscle atrophy. Currently, there is no cure for ALS. Most patients die within 5 years after disease onset. The lifetime risk of ALS is about 1 in 472 in women and 1 in 350 in men [1]. Treatment with the only US FDA approved drug, Riluzole, extends patient life span only for a few months with little improvement in ALS symptoms [1]. Thus, there is an urgent need to further understand the pathogenic mechanisms in order...