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Posted on Oct 10, 2002, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Results of a recent study suggest that slim and athletic people are more likely to develop motor neurone disease. Researchers at Columbia University in New York decided to investigate the long-held association between athleticism and a type of motor neurone disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Results of a recent study suggest that slim and athletic people are more likely to develop motor neurone disease. Researchers at Columbia University in New York decided to investigate the long-held association between athleticism and a type of motor neurone disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Results of their study showed that the risk of developing motor neurone disease is 2.21 times higher people who have always been slim, and 1.70 times higher in those who played sport at university representative level. Why body type should have such an effect upon disease risk is uncertain, however scientists suggest that vigorous exercise may increase exposure to environmental toxins; speed up the transport of toxins to the brain; increase the absorptions of toxins; or simply that physical stress increases a person's susceptibility to the disease.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Neurology 2002; 59: 773-775
