Del,
Such theories have long been around in ALS – one specialized version is discussed in the abstract below (note that the incident rate mentioned in this abstract does not seem that high: the numbers that I know generally are around a 1/800 or so chance of a random person getting ALS during their lifetime).

Ultimately, I would say there is no conclusive evidence at this point to conclude trauma has a role. Furthermore, a potential role for trauma probably would not impinge strongly on any therapeutic approach either – in particular for post-symptom onset.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15119987&query_hl=41&itool=pubmed_DocSum

Curr Med Res Opin. 2004 Apr;20(4):505-8. Links
Soccer, neurotrauma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: is there a connection?
Piazza O, Siren AL, Ehrenreich H.
Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine Goettingen, Germany.
Trauma has long been hypothesized but never proven to be a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This hypothesis may now have a renaissance due to recent reports in the lay press on 'the Italian motoneuron mystery', i.e. the disclosure of 33 diagnosed ALS cases in a subpopulation of 24000 soccer players of the top three Italian divisions from the 1960s to 1996. Could the repetitive brain trauma that soccer players experience for controlling and advancing the ball with their heads represent an environmental risk factor for developing ALS in genetically predisposed individuals? By critically reviewing the scarce literature and 'surrounding evidence' (Medline, CDC, lay press, Italian health officials), we have looked for a potential relationship between (1) soccer and head trauma and (2) head trauma and subsequent development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Whereas the brain traumatizing effect of soccer seems to be out of the question, the findings of the few retrospective studies on ALS and neurotrauma are conflicting. Taken together, however, the literature would still support the concept of soccer, head trauma, and ALS being interrelated, with high levels of athleticism/physical activity perhaps playing an additive part. To further clarify this issue, extensive prospective epidemiological investigations on ALS following neurotrauma as well as carefully designed animal studies will have to be conducted.
PMID: 15119987 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

John McCarty, PhD
Treatment Investigator,
ALS Therapy Development Institute

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John McCarty, PhD
Director of Therapeutic Investigation
ALS Therapy Development Institute

Edited addition.
I’m convinced that when I fell on the ice and struck my head and broke my ribs back in 1988. That’s when my symptoms started. I theorize that my spinal cord was compromised and something entered into it, either virus or heavy metals.
Take copped glutamate in case you’re been misdiagnosed.
I hope this helps.
Bill

Dr. McCarty,

This dove tails with a part of my gallbladder theroy. Part of my theroy is that the gallbladder is concentrating bile that puts
a stress on the body when it injects or that the gallbladder
itself is in distress, either way creating an autoimmune
response. Now if it is the gallbladder that is in distress
that is causing the response, then you can subtitute another
organ,(liver, appendix, etc.) for the gallbladder. Then couple
the autoimmune response with some damage to the CNS or brain
to allow penetration of the BBB. That is where the symptom
onset occures. Just my two cents.

In His Arms,
Guy

Look to July 2007

With all this talk of stunts, cars and athleticism I am reminded of this blog report containing interesting observations by Dr.Turner..........

http://mndresearch.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/if-you-were-a-car-would-you-be-a-ferrari-or-a-focus/

'Dr Turner’s work supports the concept that if you’re born with a natural leaning towards athletic prowess, you may excel at sport (or in evolutionary terms, hunting down your dinner) but your nervous system wiring may also be more vulnerable to MND as you age – a factor that’s only become problematic with the dramatic increases in life expectancy that have come about in the last couple of hundred years.

As Dr Turner put it at one our spring conferences this year, people with MND may well come from amongst the Ferraris of the human race. With clearer identification of risk factors, prevention of MND becomes a more realistic possibility. It may be that in future the Ferraris can undertake a specialised servicing schedule to ensure they have a greater chance of breaking the 100,000 mile barrier with their electrics in good working order!'

Study Says Brain Trauma Can Mimic ALS.

http://www.als.net/forum/yaf_postst50607_Study-Says-Brain-Trauma-Can-Mimic-ALS.aspx

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Into the heart, an air that kills, from yon far country blows.
What are those blue remembered hills, what sphires what farms are those.
That is the land of lost content,I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went and cannot come again