Summary
The etiology of motor neuron disease (MND) is unknown and treatment is limited to measures which sustain the patient. We review selected epidemiologic studies searching for a pattern in the clinical expression of MND which may reflect the operation of the underlying cause. Recognition of patterns of occurrence of MND might provide the basis for testable etiologic hypotheses for MND. In addition, recognition of the association of MND with diseases of known cause or the analogy of diseases of known cause with MND may provide further etiologic hypotheses.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
D. Goldblatt, Motor neuron disease: historical introduction, in: “Motor Neuron Diseases: Research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Related Disorders,” F. H. Norris and L. T. Kurland, eds., Grune and Stratton, New York, p. 3 (1969).
S. M. Juergens, L. T. Kurland, H. Okazaki, and D. W. Mulder, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Rochester, Minnesota, 1925-77, Neurol., 30: 463–470 (1980).
D. W. Mulder and F. M. Howard, Patient resistance and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Mayo Clin.Proc., 51: 537–541 (1976).
D. W. Mulder, The clinical syndrome of ALS, Proc.Staff Meeting Mayo Clinic, 32: 427–436 (1957).
S. Hansen and J. P. Ballantyne, A quantitative electrophysiologic study of motor neuron disease, J.Neurol.Neurosurg.Psych., 41: 773 (1978).
D. W. Mulder, L. T. Kurland, K. P. Offord, and C. M. Beard, Familial adult motor neuron disease, Neurol., 36:511–517 (1986) (in press).
D. W. Mulder, E. H. Lambert, and L. M. Eaton, Myasthenia syndrome in patients with ALS, Neurol., 9: 627–631 (1959).
D. W. Mulder, W. Bushek, E. Spring, J. Harnes, and P. J. Dyck, Motor neuron disease: evaluation of detection thresholds of cutaneous sensation, Neurol., 33: 1625–1627 (1983).
E. H. Lambert, Electromography in ALS, in: “Motor Neuron Disease,” F. H. Norris and L. T. Kurland, eds., Grune and Stratton, New York, pp. 135–154 (1969).
B. Morris, Muscle biopsy, in: “The Diagnosis and Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” D. W. Mulder, ed., John Wiley & Sons, pp. 119–129 (1980).
L. T. Kurland and D. W. Mulder, Epidemiologic investigations of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I. Preliminary report on geographic distribution, with special reference to the Mariana Islands, including clinical and pathologic observations, Neurol., 4: 355–438 (1954).
R. E. Espinosa, M. M. Okihiro, D. W. Mulder, and Sayre, G.P. Hereditary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A clinical and pathologic report with comments on classification, Neurol., 12: 1–7 (1962).
L. T. Kurland and D. W. Mulder, Epidemiologic investigations of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. II. Familial aggregations indicative of dominant inheritance, Neurol., 5: 182–268 (1955).
K. Kumura, et al. (Depts. Neuropsychiat. & Anat. Wakayama Medical College, Wakayama). Endemiological and geomedical studies on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and allied diseases in Kii Peninsula, Japan (Preliminary Report), Folia Psychiat.Neurol.Jap., 15: 175–181 (1961).
D. C. Gadjusek and A. M. Salazar, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonian syndromes among the Auyu and Jakai people of West New Guinea, Neurol., 32: 107–126 (1982).
L. Chen, Neurofibrillary change on Guam, Arch.Neurol., 38: 16 (1981).
F. A. Aran, Recherches sur une maladie non encore decrite du systeme musculaire (atrophie musculaire progressive), Arch.Gen.Med., 24: 5 (1850).
R. Pierce-Ruhland and B. M. Patten, Repeat study of antecedent events in motor neuron disease, Ann.Clin.Res., 13: 102–107 (1981).
S. Conradi, L. 0. Ronnevi, G. Nise, and O. Vesterberg, Long-time penicillamine-treatment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with parallel determination of lead in blood, plasma and urine, Acta.Neurol.Scand., 65: 203–211 (1982).
R. Roelofs-Iverson, D. W. Mulder, L. R. Elveback, L. T. Kurland, and C. A. Molgaard, ALS and heavy metals: a pilot case-control study, Neurol., 34: 393–5 (1984).
K. Kondo and T. Tsubaki, Case-control studies of motor neuron disease. Association with mechanical injuries, Arch.Neurol., 38: 220–226 (1981).
R. Garruto, R. Yanagihara, and D. C. Gadjusek, Disappearance of high-incidence amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism-dementia on Guam, Neurol., 35: 193–198 (1985).
L. T. Kurland and D. W. Mulder, Overview of motor neuron disease, Symp. on Motor Neuron Disease, Bangalore, India, October 29 (1984).
L. P. Rowland, Molecular genetics, pseudogenetics, and clinical neurology, Neurol., 33: 1179–1193 (1983).
V. A. McKusick, Diseases of the genome, J.Am.Med.Assoc., 252: 1041–8 (1984).
P. Pinelli and E. Ramelli, Paralisi periferica controlaterale nomitica in paxients con postericur di poliomyelite (nel quadra del problema della paralisi tardive dei poliomielitiei), Riv.Sper.Freniat., 19: 1101–6 (1964).
M. B. Codd, D. W. Mulder, L. T. Kurland, C. M. Beard, and W. M. O’Fallon, Poliomyelitis in Rochester, Minnesota, 1935-1955: epidemiology and long-term sequelae: a preliminary report, in: “Late Effects of Poliomyelitis,” L. S. Halstead and D. O. Wiechers, eds. Symposia Foundation, Florida, pp. 121–34 (1985).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1987 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mulder, D.W., Kurland, L.T. (1987). Motor Neuron Disease: Epidemiologic Studies. In: Cosi, V., Kato, A.C., Parlette, W., Pinelli, P., Poloni, M. (eds) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 209. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5302-7_49
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5302-7_49
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-5304-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-5302-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive