Analysis of Human ALS Tissues and Registry of ALS Patients

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive, terminal condition of muscle weakness that is associated with degeneration of neurons in the spinal cord and brain. This devastating disorder afflicts people in the prime of their lives. At the present time, there are no cures for this disorder, and current treatments are marginal at best. Despite years of intensive research, a fundamental understanding of this disease is still lacking. There is a need to identify both reliable markers of disease progression and effective treatments. The goal of this research is to bring a greater understanding of ALS patients closer to the research studies that can lead to new hypotheses and approaches.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients over the age of 18 * Established diagnosis of ALS * Able and willing to give written informed consent and must authorize release and use of protected health information Exclusion Criteria: * Patients below the age of 18 * No diagnosis of ALS