Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from bench to bedside.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease for which there are currently no significant treatments to alter the fatal outcome. The cause of the disease is still elusive, except in familial cases where significant advances have been made in identifying new genetic causes. ALS is a relatively rare disease affecting approximately 1 in 100,000 people equally across geographic and ethnic distributions. It is a difficult disease to diagnose, and there are many mimics of ALS. Overlap with dementia may provide new clues to the etiology and treatment. There have been many advances in symptomatic treatments and improvements in the quality of life for ALS patients due to technological advancements.