Here are the two lifestyle choices which health experts believe lower the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Earlier this month Euphoria actor Eric Dane died at the age of 53 after a year long battle with ALS, a neurodegenerative condition which causes progressive muscle weakness.
Commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease in the US, ALS is the most common type of motor neuron disease (MND). Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord which allow us to perform simple tasks such as speaking, moving and swallowing.
Dementia expert on reducing risk of disease
As MND progresses breathing becomes more difficult, with the main cause of death for patients with ALS being respiratory failure.
There is no cure for ALS, which impacts the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, with the average life expectancy for being two to five years after diagnosis.
What causes ALS?
The exact cause of ALS is currently not known, however scientists believe it is a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors.
Around 10 percent of patients diagnosed with the condition have a genetic predisposition to the disease, while the rest of cases have an unknown cause.
Research on the causes and treatment of ALS is ongoing, with a preliminary study shared at the American Academy of Neurology’s 78th Annual Meeting last April suggesting that physical activity and the time in which you wake up in the morning may reduce your likelihood of developing the disease.
The study tracked 500,000 people and compared early and late risers, finding that participants who were productive earlier in the day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing ALS.
Having an active lifestyle also gave participants a 26 percent lower risk of developing ALS.
“Our study found a sleep schedule that better matches daylight hours and more physical activity were related to a lower risk of ALS,” Dr Hongfu Li of Zhejiang University, the study’s lead author, said in a statement.
Researchers did note that a causative link between physical inactivity and rising late was not established, with the results being an association between the two. However it’s fair to say that ‘get moving and have a good night’s kip’ is advice we can all take on board.
Meanwhile our understanding of the condition is likely to develop over the coming years, as scientists at a US hospital discovered that several ultra rare genetic variants overlap between ALS and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) last year.
The research, conducted by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, found a shared genetic origin between HSP and non-hereditary ALS.
“This study furthers that cause by showing the overlapping contributions of canonically distinct genes, offering a clear path forward to more accurate diagnosis and care,” Dr J. Paul Taylor, the vice president of St Jude’s and study co-author, said.