[Diagnostic Criteria for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex in the Kii Peninsula, Japan].

The diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex in the Kii peninsula of Japan (Kii ALS/PDC) have been proposed. Muro disease has been considered an endemic neurodegenerative disease in the southern part of the Kii peninsula. Recent intensive and comprehensive research has revealed it to be a complex and genetically heterogeneous disease. At present, there are four subtypes of Muro disease: sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Kii ALS/PDC with tauopathy, ALS with C9orf72 gene mutation, and ALS with optineurin gene mutation. The present criteria are applicable to only one of these subtypes, Kii ALS/PDC with tauopathy, which is quite similar to ALS/PDC in Guam.