Head trauma and environment progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: long-term data from the National ALS Registry

For Public Health

At a glance

This study looks at past environmental exposures and their effects on ALS progression, using National ALS Registry data.

Affiliates

Alfonso Enrique Martinez-Nunez1,2, Jingchuan Guo3,4, Earl Ray Dorsey5,6, Kyle W Ruffing1,2, James Wymer1,2, Michael S Okun1,2

  1. Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  2. Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  4. College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  5. Center for the Brain & Environment, Atria Research and Global Health Institute, New York, New York, USA
  6. Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA

Journal

BMJ Neurology Open

Summary

This study used long-term data from 8,618 people with ALS in the National ALS Registry to examine whether exposures before diagnosis were linked to how quickly ALS symptoms worsened. Participants reported past occupational or environmental exposures, and disease progression was tracked using repeated ALSFRS-R functional scores. The study found that prior exposure to herbicides, metal dust or fumes, and oil-based paints was associated with faster functional decline after ALS diagnosis, while a history of head injury was linked to worse overall function but not a faster rate of decline. The authors note that these findings do not prove causation, since exposure history was self-reported and other factors may have influenced outcomes, but they suggest that environmental and occupational exposure history may help inform ALS prognosis and future research.

Link to Paper

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Content Source:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry