Education, intelligence, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A Mendelian randomization study.

This study provides genetic support for a causal association between higher educational attainment and a lower risk of ALS. The genes related to these phenotypes are involved in almost all aspects of neuron-to-neuron communication. ALS patients are occasionally accompanied by varying degrees of cognitive impairment. People with greater cognitive reserve may be better able to offset damages of degenerative brain changes associated with dementia or other brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or ALS.