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Genetics and inheritance

SOD1

Superoxide dismutase 1

A gene in which certain changes can cause ALS/MND, and the first one found to do so.

What it means

The gene carries instructions for a protein that helps clear a harmful by-product from cells. Particular changes in it can lead to ALS/MND. It is the gene that research and gene-targeted treatment have focused on most, which is why it comes up more often than the number of people it affects would suggest. What is available is covered on the treatments card.

Why you might hear it

  • It comes up whenever genetic testing or targeted treatments are discussed.
  • It appears frequently in research news.

People who may help

Where Compass goes into this

About this explanation

These are plain explanations of words you may come across, not advice about your own situation. Where a word matters to a decision, the question pages go into it properly, and your own team is the place to take it.