LEAD AND OTHER NEUROTOXINS AS RISK FACTORS FOR AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS

暴露于环境神经毒素可能会增加 发展神经退行性疾病，无论是直接或通过 与遗传易感性因素的相互作用。 工作已经开始进行 环境暴露在这些疾病病因中的作用。 ALS是一种影响运动神经元的进行性神经疾病;其 病因基本上是未知的。 我们为一个案子制定了一个方案- 环境危险因素在小儿先天性心脏病发病中作用的对照研究 人症 主要的假设是， 是导致肌萎缩侧索硬化症的危险因素 将通过测量骨骼来评估铅暴露 铅，使用新开发的X射线荧光技术。 其他 将要研究的环境风险因素包括铝， 汞、溶剂和杀虫剂。 生化变量反映了 还将测量可疑的致病机制， 与铅和其他神经毒素接触的相互作用。 的 研究将包括访谈以及临床和实验室评估， 200例ALS患者、200例临床对照和200例人群 对照

Exposure to environmental neurotoxins is likely to increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, either directly or through interaction with genetic susceptibility factors. Work has begun to asses the role of environmental exposures in the etiology of these disorders. ALS is a progressive neurological disease affecting motor neurons; its etiology is essentially unknown. A protocol has been developed for a case- control study of the role of environment risk factors in the etiology of ALS. The primary hypothesis is that cumulative lifetime exposure to lead is a risk factor for ALS. Lead exposure will be assessed by measuring bone lead, using the newly developed technology of x-ray fluorescence. Other environmental risk factors which will be investigated include aluminum, mercury, solvents, and pesticides. Biochemical variables reflecting suspected pathogenic mechanisms will also be measured, and their interactions with exposure to lead and other neurotoxins evaluated. The study will involve interviews and clinical and laboratory assessments for 200 incident ALS patients, 200 clinical controls, and 200 population controls.