ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Progress
Understanding what causes ALS may help guide researchers in the development of new treatments to fight or prevent the disease. Scientists around the world are hard at work exploring environmental and lifestyle differences that may cause or contribute to ALS.
Today, we know that military veterans, regardless of when and where they served, are approximately twice as likely to die from ALS as those who did not serve in the Armed Forces. However, the exact reason why is still unknown.
No Stone Unturned
Others have documented an increased incidence of ALS among some athletes as well as the Chamorro of Guam. There are theories about the role of environmental factors, including diet, pesticides and toxic metals. Still, it’s important to note that scientists are not entirely convinced these population data are sufficient to draw larger conclusions. Statistical theory indicates that relatively small numbers of subpopulations affected may not be enough to provide reliable answers to cause and effect questions. Larger sample sizes are needed for greater certainty.
Big Data Solution
That’s where the National ALS Registry comes in to play. The Registry is a valuable research tool that will allow scientists to take a broad view of the ALS population to analyze trends in lifestyle, geography, occupation and even environmental exposures to connect patterns over more statistically significant sample sizes.
Still, it remains unclear what may increase one’s risk factors over others. With funding provided by The ALS Association, scientists have even explored the idea of a connection between viral infection and ALS; however, no definite link has been identified to date.
Avoiding the Blame Game
So far, findings have failed to confirm a definitive connection between any one environmental factor and onset of disease. Still, it can be tempting to analyze one’s life and past surroundings to try to find an incident or causative factor to blame. While it’s perfectly normal to want to make sense of a dire situation, it’s important to know scientists are still searching for conclusive answers.
By participating in the National ALS Registry, you can help be a part of the solution by assisting researchers in gathering the evidence needed to gain a clearer understanding of what factors may increase the risk of disease. Additionally, the National ALS Registry may help to guide research efforts to discover a new and effective treatment.
