APICS: Request for Proposals

Abstract

Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), once considered separate neurodegenerative disorders, are now recognized to have many commonalities at the molecular, cellular, and clinical level. Behavioral and language symptoms characteristic of FTD can appear concurrently or over time in persons diagnosed with ALS; similarly, symptoms of motor neuron disease can occur in persons diagnosed with FTD. In addition, the hallmark pathological feature in both disorders is the aggregation of the RNA-binding protein TDP-43, while a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 is the most common genetic mutation in hereditary FTD, ALS, and FTD-ALS (also known as FTD-MND). As a result, experts have proposed that these disorders constitute a clinical spectrum, with some patients exhibiting primarily ALS symptoms, some exhibiting primarily FTD symptoms, and still others with overlapping symptom profiles. This intersection of FTD and ALS is a compelling argument for prioritizing the development of diagnostic tools and therapeutics applicable to both disorders to facilitate the alignment of clinical care practices as well as drug and biomarker development.