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Is ALS Disease Genetic?

ALS disease, or "Lou Gehrig's disease," affects the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. Motor neurons progressively deteriorate, which eventually leads to death, according to the ALS Association.

  1. Heredity

    • ALS disease is hereditary in only about 10 percent of cases, according to the ALS Association. The other 90 percent have no family history of the condition.

    Inheriting ALS

    • Children of familial ALS patients have about a 50 percent chance of having the condition, according to the ALS Association.

    Genetic Testing

    • There is a genetic test for ALS, but it is limited to familial cases, according to the ALS Association. Chromosome 21 can be tested for superoxide dismutase (SOD1), a gene found in about 20 percent of patients with familial ALS.

    The Test

    • A blood sample is shipped to a lab, and the DNA is removed to be checked for the SOD1 gene. This testing usually takes two to three months.

    Pre-Symptomatic Testing

    • Pre-symptomatic genetic testing is available, once a family member has been identified with the SOD1 gene. The emotional results of these tests may be very draining, as they deal with a person's family and his medical future, according to the ALS Association.

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