Analysis of genome-wide copy number variation in Irish and Dutch ALS populations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an unrelenting neurodegenerative condition characterized by adult-onset loss of motor neurons. Genetic risk factors have been implicated in ALS susceptibility. Copy number variants (CNVs) account for more inter-individual genetic variation than SNPs and have the capacity to alter gene dose and phenotype. We sought to identify the contribution both of commonly polymorphic CNVs and rare ALS-specific CNVs to sporadic ALS (SALS). Using high-density genome-wide data from 408 Irish individuals and 868 Dutch individuals and the QuantiSNP CNV-detection algorithm,... Mehr ...