Relationship between ALS and the degree of cognitive impairment, markers of neurodegeneration and predictors for poor outcome. A prospective study

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a common neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons and may be associated with impaired cognition. Reliable prognostic factors for ALS patients are still missing.In our prospective study, age, disease severity and CSF beta-amyloid levels taken together were a risk factor suggesting shorter survival times.

Dementia is relatively frequent in ALS and may be a consequence of either FTLD or result from co-existing Alzheimer disease.

Keywords

• Alzheimer disease
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• cognition
• dementia
• frontotemporal lobar degeneration
• outcome
• risk factors
• tau protein