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Will I get ALS if my dad had it?
Answer: Most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not familial and do not run in families. In a minority of ALS cases, though, the disease may be inherited and occur in multiple family members.
What percent of ALS cases are inherited?
About 90 to 95 percent of ALS cases are sporadic, which means they are not inherited. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of ALS is familial and caused by mutations in one of several genes. The pattern of inheritance varies depending on the gene involved.
Does having the ALS gene mean you will get it?
If a mutation is discovered, family members may wish to undergo predictive testing to see if they also have the gene. If they do, it does not mean that they will necessarily develop ALS.
Is ALS more common in males?
Results: The incidence and prevalence of ALS are greater in men than in women. This gender difference is seen in large studies that included all ALS patients (sporadic and familial), but is not seen when familial ALS is studied independently. Men predominate in the younger age groups of patients with ALS.
What are the chances of developing ALS?
If you are in an fALS family your chances of developing ALS is thought to be about 50-50. The chances of an ordinary individual developing ALS is approximately one in 500. fALS victims often have extensive histories of neurological disease in their family history.
Can ALS be inherited from a family member?
Approximately 90\% of cases of ALS are called “sporadic,” meaning the cause or causes of the disease are unknown. Approximately 5-10\% of cases are due to genetic mutations and are inherited from a family member. If there are two or more family members with ALS, the disease is considered familial.
Does a negative genetic test rule out familial ALS?
That means a negative genetic test does not necessarily rule out the possibility of familial ALS. If an individual is found to have a gene mutation associated with ALS, each of that person’s first-degree relatives — siblings and children — has a 50 percent chance of also carrying the gene mutation that causes familial ALS.
Who is most likely to inherit ALS and dementia?
Both men and women are equally likely to inherit the genetic mutation. Typically, although not always, there will be someone in each generation with ALS and/or dementia. FALS can present at different ages and progress differently in various family members.