Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new era, new challenges

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rare but fatal neurodegenerative disease, that typically leads to muscle weakness, atrophy, and eventually respiratory failure within 2–4 years after symptom onset. A Series of two papers in The Lancet Neurology1,2 review the latest advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research, providing an updated overview of its genetic architecture, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and prognosis.