Exploring Environmental Risk Factors for Disease Progression in Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Dear Colleagues,

While the role of environmental factors in increasing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is partially known, growing evidence suggests that they also significantly contribute to disease progression in both conditions. By dedicating a Special Issue to this topic, we can bring together experts from various disciplines to share their research findings and create a robust knowledge base regarding the environmental risk factors involved.

The objective of this Special Issue is to foster a comprehensive understanding of the environmental risk factors implicated in the progression of both MS and ALS. By comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between the two diseases, we aim at identifying shared mechanisms and discovering potential avenues for preventive strategies.

Main Themes:

1. Common Environmental Risk Factors: Investigate shared environmental factors that have been associated with disease progression in both MS and ALS. These include toxic exposures, pollution, occupational hazards, smoking, physical activity, diet/nutrition, and others.
2. Disease-Specific Environmental Risk Factors: Discuss environmental factors that are more specific to either MS or ALS, exploring their different role in disease onset and progression and potential mechanisms of action.
3. Biomarkers and Mechanisms: Explore biomarkers or underlying mechanisms that are implicated in both diseases, shedding light on potential common pathways that link environmental exposures to disease progression. These may include immune oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
4. Preventive Strategies and Interventions: Highlight the potential of these identified environmental risk factors as targets for therapeutic interventions and strategies to slow disease progression in both MS and ALS. This may involve lifestyle modifications, public health policies, pharmacological interventions, and innovative technologies.

This Special Issue will consist of expert reviews, original research articles, and perspective pieces. We aim to involve researchers and clinicians from various fields such as neurology, epidemiology, toxicology, immunology, and environmental health.

This Special Issue will provide a platform for the synthesis and dissemination of evidence regarding environmental risk factors for disease progression in MS and ALS. By highlighting similarities and differences, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between genetics and the environment in disease progression. Ultimately, this knowledge will pave the way for preventive measures, early interventions, and personalized treatments for these devastating neurological disorders.

Dr. Maurizio A. Leone
Dr. Radu Tanasescu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sclerosis is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.