Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Genetic Point of View

In the last twenty years the rapid advances in neurogenetic have revolutionized not only the molecular, pathological, inheritance but also the clinical concept of ALS. Here we review the current genetic breakthrough in familial and sporadic ALS, considering how this knowledge has allowed widening of the scenario on the possible pathogenic disease mechanisms and better understanding of the relationship between the genetic, pathological and clinical subtypes.