BFS and Viral Triggers/Genetic Predisposition

[JCVanilla4125]

You're friend is a neurologist and I'm not trying to dispute what he says, but BFS is peripheral nerve hyperexcitability and from what I've read has more to do with potassium channels in the peripheral nerves, not the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord (as is the case with ALS). I do agree that a viral infection is probably the trigger (or at least a trigger) and that genetic predisposition plays a role (probably a large role) in ALS. What happens after the triggering event (in BFS) is anyones guess but most think that there is an autoimmune component with antibody formation against the potassium channels.

 

[yummylips]

I was doing some research and I found an interesting bit of information I had never seen. Studies have been done (and are ongoing) showing that the incidence of ALS in the military population of Gulf War veterans is over twice that of the regular military population. Don't get nervous if you are a gulf vet-it is still a very small number but it raises the question of whether environmental factors are at work here and if the same could be true of other neurological conditions such as BFS. I will continue to follow these investigations as they may be helpful to our situation.

 

[BriBriBB]

Pole,

Im pretty sure that he doesnt say he thinks for sure it is benign form of ALS, but rather he thinks it is one possiblity

 

[BriBriBB]

JCVanilla4125,

I think he means that what he said was a possiblity but didnt mean that it was for sure the real cause and what it is

basically we dont know for sure what causes BFS but theres several theories