CONJUGAL AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS - A REPORT ON A COUPLE FROM SARDINIA, ITALY

A conjugal case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) observed in Sar dinia, Italy is reported. This is believed to be the ninth such observ ation described in the literature. The couple had lived together for 3 8 years in a house adjacent to the distillery they owned. No exogenous factors were revealed which could explain the genesis of the disease in either patients. Particularly, exposure to alcohol does not appear to have been involved in causing ALS. On the basis of statistical and epidemiological evaluations, the most likely explanation is that this association was purely coincidental.