PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - N Shahrizaila
AU  - G Sobue
AU  - S Kuwabara
AU  - S H Kim
AU  - Carol Birks
AU  - D S Fan
AU  - J S Bae
AU  - C J Hu
AU  - M Gourie-Devi
AU  - Y Noto
AU  - K Shibuya
AU  - K J Goh
AU  - R Kaji
AU  - CP Tsai
AU  - L Cui
AU  - P Talman
AU  - R D Henderson
AU  - S Vucic
AU  - M C Kiernan
TI  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and motor neuron syndromes in Asia
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp-2015-312751
DP  - 2016 Aug 01
TA  - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
PG  - 821--830
VI  - 87
IP  - 8
4099  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/87/8/821.short
4100  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/87/8/821.full
SO  - J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry2016 Aug 01; 87
AB  - While the past 2 decades have witnessed an increasing understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) arising from East Asia, particularly Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China, knowledge of ALS throughout the whole of Asia remains limited. Asia represents >50% of the world population, making it host to the largest patient cohort of ALS. Furthermore, Asia represents a diverse population in terms of ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds. In this review, an overview is presented that covers what is currently known of ALS in Asia from basic epidemiology and genetic influences, through to disease characteristics including atypical phenotypes which manifest a predilection for Asians. With the recent establishment of the Pan-Asian Consortium for Treatment and Research in ALS to facilitate collaborations between clinicians and researchers across the region, it is anticipated that Asia and the Pacific will contribute to unravelling the uncertainties in ALS.