Hypoxia and Lou Gehrig

Selective death of motor neurons beginning in mid life is the hallmark of t he most abundant motor-neuron disease of adults, amyotrophic lateral sclero sis (ALS). An unexpected insight into potential causes of the disorder is n ow provided by mice lacking the hypoxia response element of the promoter of the gene encoding the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF). This elicits age-dependent, selective degeneration of motor neurons, and indica tes that a primary cause of ALS may be chronic deficits in VEGF-dependent v ascular perfusion or a direct neurotrophic effect of VEGF on motor neurons.