Epidemiology

The incidence of motor neurone disease in the UK has been shown to approach 2 to 3 per 100,000 population, while a lower frequency (less than 1 per 100,000) of ALS has been demonstrated in the South and East Asian community. (1)

Onset is typically in the sixth and seventh decades and the male to female ratio is 2:1 (2)

About 5-10% of cases are inherited and approximately 10 to 15 percent of individuals with ALS have familial disease. (3)

Male sex, increasing age and hereditary disposition are the main risk factors. (4)

References

1. Alonso A, Logroscino G, Jick SS, Hernán MA. Incidence and lifetime risk of motor neuron disease in the United Kingdom: a population-based study. Eur J Neurol. 2009 Jun;16(6):745-51
2. Orrell RW; GPs have key role in managing motor neurone disease. Practitioner. 2011 Sep;255(1743):19-22, 2.
3. Boylan K. Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurol Clin. 2015 Nov;33(4):807-30.
4. EFNS guidelines on the Clinical Management of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (MALS) – revised report of an EFNS task force; European Federation of Neurological Societies (2011)