Is ALS an autoimmune disease?

To date, no typical immunological abnormalities have been identified, although intensive research has been conducted in this area. Repeated attempts to treat the disease with immunological medications have also been unsuccessful so far.

However, most of the therapeutic trials to date have involved individual treatments or small case series. A wide range of treatments was administered, including intravenous immunoglobulins, interferons, cortisone, thalidomide, anakinra, glatiramer acetate, and various other substances. In addition, invasive procedures were tested to modify the immune system and enable a reset of the immune response. These included total-body irradiation or chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant.

In the individual cases described, no clear efficacy of immunotherapy could be demonstrated. Despite numerous attempts at treatment, it cannot be ruled out that immunological factors will be identified in the pathogenesis of ALS in the future. Despite the numerous unanswered questions, based on the current state of scientific knowledge, ALS is a degenerative disease and should not be regarded as a typical autoimmune disease.