Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Motor neuron disease

The C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in FTD and ALS

Two new studies provide strong evidence for the link between mutations in the C9orf72 gene and familial frontotemporal dementia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. One of the papers presents some unique associations between clinical features and C9orf72 mutation, and raises questions regarding the specificity of some previously reported pathological findings.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. DeJesus-Hernandez, M. et al. Expanded GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat in non-coding region of C9ORF72 causes chromosome 9p-linked FTD and ALS. Neuron 72, 245–256 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Renton, A. E. et al. A nexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 is the cause of chromosome 9p21-linked ALS–FTD. Neuron 71, 257–268 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Simon-Sanchez, J. et al. The clinical and pathological phenotype of C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions. Brain http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr353.

  4. Snowden, J. S. et al. Distinct clinical and pathological characteristics of frontotemporal dementia associated with C9ORF72 mutations. Brain http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr355.

  5. Mackenzie, I. R. et al. Heterogeneity of ubiquitin pathology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: classification and relation to clinical phenotype. Acta Neuropathol. 112, 539–549 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mackenzie, I. R. et al. A harmonized classification system for FTLD-TDP pathology. Acta Neuropathol. 122, 111–113 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Byrne, S. et al. Cognitive and clinical characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis carrying a C9orf72 repeat expansion: a population-based cohort study. Lancet Neurol. 11, 232–240 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Murray, M. E. et al. Clinical and neuropathologic heterogeneity of c9FTD/ALS associated with hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72. Acta Neuropathol. 122, 673–690 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Stewart, H. et al. Clinical and pathological features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by mutation in the C9ORF72 gene of chromosome 9p. Acta Neuropathol. 123, 409–417 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bigio, E. The C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in FTD and ALS. Nat Rev Neurol 8, 249–250 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.58

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.58

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing