{"title":"How effective does a new drug for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis need to be - the patient perspective: a letter in response to \"Estimating the minimum important difference in the ALSFRS-R-instrument in people living with MND\" published in vol. 26, pp. 249-258.","authors":"Andrew Darke, Cali Orsulak","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2589781","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2589781","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":"27 3-4","pages":"485-486"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147790490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel Wiseman, Justin Jordan, Malina Storer, Michael Epton
{"title":"Incidence of MND in Canterbury, New Zealand and impact of a key worker role on hospital admissions.","authors":"Rachel Wiseman, Justin Jordan, Malina Storer, Michael Epton","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2604231","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2604231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Objective</i>: To establish the incidence of MND in Canterbury, New Zealand between 2008 and 2020, building on previously published local data. To investigate any change in hospital and emergency department use, timing of feeding tube insertion or initiation of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) after introduction of a Key Worker role and multidisciplinary clinic. <i>Methods</i>: A retrospective audit of medical records from patients diagnosed with MND between 2008-2012 and 2015-2019, before and after creation of a Key Worker role in 2013. Three separate local databases were searched to identify all cases. Medical records were searched to identify patients who met the inclusion criteria and capture hospital admissions/emergency department visits, date of feeding tube insertion and/or initiation of NIV for each patient. <i>Results</i>: Incidence averaged 3.36 diagnoses per 100,000 population per year and remained relatively stable between 2008 and 2020. There was no difference between the two time cohorts in the likelihood or timing of feeding tube insertion or initiation of NIV. There was a significant reduction in unplanned hospital admissions and emergency department visits in the latter time period, after initiation of the key worker role and multidisciplinary clinic. <i>Conclusions</i>: Incidence of MND in Canterbury, New Zealand remains relatively stable. Implementation of a Key Worker role may be related to reduced hospital admissions and emergency department visits.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"404-411"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145812312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Annaliis Lehto, Andreas Zapf, Andreas Hermann, Judith Machts, Stefan Vielhaber, Jonas Koppenbrink, Dieter Edbauer, Elisabeth Kasper, Johannes Prudlo
{"title":"Homozygosity for the C allele at <i>UNC13A</i> rs12608932 seems to compromise cognition in ALS independently of the cognitive domains.","authors":"Annaliis Lehto, Andreas Zapf, Andreas Hermann, Judith Machts, Stefan Vielhaber, Jonas Koppenbrink, Dieter Edbauer, Elisabeth Kasper, Johannes Prudlo","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2608238","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2608238","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs12608932 located at a cryptic splice in the <i>UNC13A</i> gene has been reported to modify the clinical phenotype of ALS, but it is unclear whether homozygosity for the C-allele at <i>UNC13A</i> rs12608932 modifies specific domains of cognition in ALS. We analyzed retrospective data from a German cohort and found that the proportion of cognitively or behaviorally impaired patients was higher in the high-risk group of homozygous C-allele carriers. Patients with C/C alleles had lower scores than controls on verbal fluency, executive functioning, and delayed memory recall, but did not differ significantly from other ALS genotypes. Furthermore, informant ratings suggested higher disinhibition in the C/C carriers. These findings indicate that the C/C risk variant of <i>UNC13A</i> rs12608932 may contribute to general cognitive vulnerability rather than domain-specific deficit.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"348-351"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145893506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of motor neurone disease on oral health: a scoping review.","authors":"Jessica Hewitt-Dean, Jessie Tebbutt, Esther Hobson","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2603312","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2603312","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To identify current evidence on oral health-related quality of life in people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), as well as identify barriers to oral health and care, and establish priorities for future research.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted. Electronic databases and grey literature sources were searched from 2000 to 2024. Articles discussing oral health in adults with MND were included. Findings were supplemented by stakeholder consultation with people with MND, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria, comprising eight cross-sectional studies, one prospective quality improvement project, one single center observational and four review articles. Five key themes emerged: dental status and oral hygiene activities, orofacial function, secretion management, service delivery and Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Studies indicated that MND negatively impacts oral health through impaired ability to perform oral hygiene and altered orofacial functioning. Only one study examined oral health-related quality of life. Stakeholder consultation highlighted additional concerns including challenges with service access, the impact of MND on oral health, and difficulties maintaining oral hygiene due to physical limitations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Oral health remains an under-researched area in MND care despite its potential impact on quality of life and overall wellbeing. Future research priorities should include investigating relationships between oral health and MND outcomes, improving service delivery models, and increasing dental professional awareness. Active involvement of people with MND in research design and implementation is essential for developing effective interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"239-245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145913979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thomas Meyer, André Maier, Torsten Grehl, Ute Weyen, Annekathrin Rödiger, Uta Smesny, Robert Steinbach, Julian Grosskreutz, Bettina Göricke, Sarah Bernsen, Patrick Weydt, Rachel Fabian, Susanne Petri, Rea Lumi, Bogdan Bjelica, Matthias Boentert, Paul Lingor, Dagmar Kettemann, Jenny Norden, Bertram Walter, Alessio Riitano, Peggy Schumann, Christoph Münch, Susanne Spittel
{"title":"Minimum important slowing of disease progression as determined by the ALS functional rating scale - a survey of patient expectations toward disease-modifying drugs in ALS.","authors":"Thomas Meyer, André Maier, Torsten Grehl, Ute Weyen, Annekathrin Rödiger, Uta Smesny, Robert Steinbach, Julian Grosskreutz, Bettina Göricke, Sarah Bernsen, Patrick Weydt, Rachel Fabian, Susanne Petri, Rea Lumi, Bogdan Bjelica, Matthias Boentert, Paul Lingor, Dagmar Kettemann, Jenny Norden, Bertram Walter, Alessio Riitano, Peggy Schumann, Christoph Münch, Susanne Spittel","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2026.2615117","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2026.2615117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Objective:</i> To define the minimum important slowing (MIS) of ALS progression that patients would expect from disease-modifying drug treatment in ALS. <i>Methods:</i> In a survey of ALS patients, the MIS in ALS progression (change in the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised, ALSFRS-R) was assessed by asking: \"At what point of slowing of ALS, as determined by the ALSFRS-R, do you consider a drug to be important?\" Data were collected during clinic visits or remotely via the ALS App. Participants were differentiated in the prognostic groups of slower (<0.5), intermediate (≥0.5 and ≤1.0), or faster (>1.0) ALS progression (ALSPR; ALSFRS-R/month). <i>Results:</i> Of 522 participants (ALS App, <i>n</i> = 397; clinic, <i>n</i> = 125), 395 (75.7%) completed the survey, while 127 (24.3%) selected the option \"cannot estimate\". The distribution of MIS was as follows: modest slowing of ALS progression (5% and 10% slowing, <i>n</i> = 146 patients, 36.9%), moderate slowing (20%, 30%, and 40% slowing, <i>n</i> = 135, 34.2%), and major slowing (≥50% slowing, <i>n</i> = 114, 28.9%). Median MIS was 20% (IQR 10-50%). Patients with faster ALSPR more frequently assessed a major slowing as the MIS (<i>n</i> = 18, 36.0%) compared to those with slower ALSPR (<i>n</i> = 54, 25.2%). <i>Conclusion:</i> A considerable number of participants viewed a modest slowing in ALS progression as the MIS, followed closely by preferences for moderate and major slowing. Expectations varied according to patients' individual ALS progression. These insights may inform the design of future clinical trials in ALS. Study limitations include potential selection and response biases, as well as the predominantly remote digital assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"457-468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrew Brown, Colin Stubberfield, Fernando Vieira, Richard Bedlack
{"title":"Examining IGFBP7 as a potential therapeutic target in people with ALS.","authors":"Andrew Brown, Colin Stubberfield, Fernando Vieira, Richard Bedlack","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2559441","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2559441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A single nucleotide variant in an insulin-like growth factor (IGFBP7) promotor, which reduces IGFBP7 levels in brain, was previously associated with an ALS \"reversal\" phenotype. This raises the question of whether IGFBP7 might be a therapeutic target in ALS. Here, we use a combinatorial analysis to show that IGFBP7-Antisense (AS1) is associated with resistance to ALS. In ALS patients' blood, we demonstrate increased IGFPB7 protein relative to healthy controls. In ALS patients' spinal cords and iPS-derived motor neurons, we demonstrate increased IGFBP7 mRNA levels relative to healthy controls. These four new analyses support IGFBP7 as a possible therapeutic target in ALS.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"477-480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145055387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shelagh K Genuis, Westerly Luth, Brianna Adams, Wendy S Johnston
{"title":"Patient-based evidence for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis prognostic health communication: \"the clock is ticking…how long do I have?\"","authors":"Shelagh K Genuis, Westerly Luth, Brianna Adams, Wendy S Johnston","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2589782","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2589782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Objectives:</i> Prognostic health communication is a critical challenge for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) health-care professions, however patient-based evidence for best practice remains limited. We investigated how the experiences of ALS patients and caregivers can inform prognostic communication and whether patient-based evidence supports clinical use of predictive tools. <i>Methods:</i> Data were drawn from ALS Talk, an asynchronous, online focus group study. Patients and family caregivers were recruited from across Canada. Seven groups interacted in a threaded web-forum structure. Sixty-four participants shared experiences and perspectives on prognostic communication. Data were qualitatively analyzed using conventional content analysis and the constant-comparative approach. <i>Results:</i> Primary themes were prognostic communication as an ongoing, evolving conversation; prognostic heterogeneity; progression as an embodiment of prognosis; and functional prognosis. The theme, information needs/wants, contributed to the primary themes. Participants highlighted the importance of stepwise discussions of general and personalized prognosis; prognostic heterogeneity as a source of hope and a potential communication barrier; and how progression facilitates material understanding of prognosis, adaptation, and future planning. Further, participants wanted more information about functional prognosis and the impact of interventions/therapies on function and survival. <i>Conclusions:</i> We discuss participants' central questions: \"how long\" and \"how well,\" and provide recommendations for patient-centred ALS prognostic communication. Participants' embodied understanding of prognosis and desire for information that anticipates functional change, informs disease management, and facilitates timely planning suggests that clinical application of ALS staging systems may meet patient and caregiver need. Testing in real-world clinical settings is needed to ensure the development of patient-centred predictive tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"301-311"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145566540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unraveling the genetic landscape of ALS in Greece: identification of known and novel causative variants in a 353-patient cohort.","authors":"Chrisoula Kartanou, Zoi Kontogeorgiou, Theodoros Loupis, Dimitrios M Vrachnos, Nikolaos Ragazos, Ifigenia Spyropoulou, Maria Petraki, Chrysoula Koniari, Stavroula Aristeidou, Eleftheria Koropouli, Ariadne Daponte, Michail Rentzos, Elisabeth Kapaki, Marios Panas, Periklis Makrythanasis, Leonidas Stefanis, Georgios Koutsis, Georgia Karadima","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2582828","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2582828","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons. Approximately 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to disease. Herein, we present clinical and genetic data of a large Greek ALS cohort.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>The cohort consisted of 353 Greek consecutive index patients with ALS, including 16 patients with related motor neuron disease (MND) subtypes (nine with PLS, four with PBP, and three with PMA). Next generation sequencing raw data (obtained from the NYGC ALS Consortium) were further analyzed and used to screen for causative variants in known implicated genes. Repeat expansions in <i>C9ORF72</i> and <i>ATXN2</i> were investigated using ExpansionHunter software, repeat-primed PCR and fragment analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pathogenic repeat expansions in <i>C9ORF72</i> were detected in 41 patients (11.6%). In addition, 30 patients (8.5%) carried a causative variant in one of the genes studied. Known causative variants were identified in 27 cases (nine in <i>SQSTM1</i>, seven in <i>TARDBP</i>, five in <i>SOD1</i>, three in <i>NEK1</i> and one each in <i>SETX</i>, <i>VCP</i>, <i>FUS</i>), whereas novel causative variants were identified in three cases (<i>SOD1</i>, <i>FIG4</i>, <i>TBK1</i>). In total, 71 cases received a molecular genetic diagnosis (20.1%). Additionally, seven cases (2.0%) carried an intermediate repeat expansion (30-33 CAG) in <i>ATXN2</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results reveal the distinct genetic profile of Greek ALS patients. These findings will have an impact on genetic counseling, the design of diagnostic gene panels for the Greek population and on genotype-specific therapeutic interventions. Understanding the genetic causes of ALS in different populations is becoming increasingly important, especially with the advent of personalized medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"318-327"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145454178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iris F van Wijk, Lisa Kraneburg, Ruben P A van Eijk, Jan H Veldink, Michael A van Es, Henk-Jan Westeneng, Leonard H van den Berg
{"title":"Prodromal symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from the perspective of the patient and of the caregiver.","authors":"Iris F van Wijk, Lisa Kraneburg, Ruben P A van Eijk, Jan H Veldink, Michael A van Es, Henk-Jan Westeneng, Leonard H van den Berg","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2574687","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2574687","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Clinically manifest ALS is preceded by a prodromal phase in gene mutation carriers, characterized by mild motor impairment. A well-defined prodromal phase could enable earlier diagnosis and treatment. We investigated the presence of a prodromal phase in sporadic ALS, from the perspective of patients and caregivers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A survey was conducted of symptom onset in 279 ALS patients from a population-based registry and 150 caregivers. 244 patients and 123 caregivers were included in the primary qualitative analysis, followed by quantitative analysis of identified themes. A prodromal phase was defined as symptoms, in response to open-ended questions, before onset of recorded weakness, bulbar complaints or shortness of breath. Mild motor symptoms were defined as fasciculations, cramps, stiffness, atrophy, reduced sports performance, or mobility issues.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>26.6% of patients and 17.5% of caregivers reported a prodromal phase, primarily with mild motor symptoms (patients 23.0%; caregivers 11.4%). Prodromal symptoms occurred a median of 6.0 months (IQR 2.8-11.8 months) before recorded disease onset. In closed-ended questions, 19.2% of patients and 22.2% of caregivers reported cognitive or behavioral symptoms before weakness onset, compared to only 0.6% and 1.8% in open-ended questions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In sporadic ALS, approximately a quarter of patients report a prodromal phase characterized primarily by mild motor symptoms. However, mild motor symptoms alone are unlikely to contribute to earlier disease recognition. Cognitive or behavioral symptoms are often not recognized as part of the clinical spectrum. These findings emphasize the need for reliable biomarkers to detect ALS pathology at an early stage.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"263-273"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145368958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Novel in-frame duplication variant of <i>SOD1</i> in a Japanese family with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.","authors":"Masanori Nakajima, Hiroya Naruse, Yuichi Riku, Kunihiro Ueda, Takashi Matsukawa, Jun Mitsui, Yoshitsugu Nakamura, Shimon Ishida, Takashi Yamada, Naoki Moro, Naoki Kotsuki, Kentaro Nagai, Shin-Ichi Tokushige, Ayumi Uchibori, Chizuko Oishi, Hiroyuki Yabata, Makoto Urushitani, Yasushi Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Ishiura, Tatsushi Toda, Shoji Tsuji, Yaeko Ichikawa","doi":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2593302","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21678421.2025.2593302","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To analyze the cases of a family with a novel in-frame duplication variant (NM_000454.5:c.357_357 + 2dup, p.Val120dup) of <i>SOD1</i> and a structural model of the mutated SOD1 protein.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The clinical profiles of three patients in the family were analyzed, including the neuropathological findings of the proband's mother. Genetic analyses were conducted for three patients. cDNA and <i>in silico</i> structural analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of duplication variants on the structure of SOD1.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The clinical features of the patients included predominant involvement of the lower motor neurons, asymmetric onset of motor symptoms in the lower limbs, and a relatively rapid progression of muscular weakness and respiratory insufficiency. Neuropathological findings revealed severe loss of spinal cord motor neurons, and immunohistochemistry using an anti-misfolded SOD1 antibody revealed aggregates in the spinal cord. Genetic analyses revealed a c.357_357 + 2dup at the exon 4-intron 4 boundary of <i>SOD1</i> in three patients. cDNA analysis of the proband suggested the presence of a valine (p.Val120dup) duplication in the heterozygous state, and the <i>SOD1</i> transcript level showed no significant differences from those of healthy controls. <i>In silico</i> structural analyses predicted that p.Val120dup could affect the structure of the β-barrels and copper ion binding site of SOD1, suggesting an abnormal conformation of SOD1 that is predicted to interfere with the binding of copper ions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We identified a novel in-frame duplication variant in the C-terminus of β7 of SOD1. This genotype-structure-phenotype study of SOD1 provides valuable insights into disease-causing mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":72184,"journal":{"name":"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration","volume":" ","pages":"352-362"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145671090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}