Texas A&M Study Links Viral Infection and Genetics to ALS-Like Damage

Researchers identify a mouse strain that develops long-lasting, ALS-like damage after a viral infection is cleared.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:15am

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A research team led by Texas A&M University has uncovered a new clue to how devastating motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) might begin. In a study using genetically diverse mice, the scientists found that a particular strain, known as CC023, developed long-lasting, ALS-like damage after a viral infection - even after the virus itself had been cleared from the spinal cord. The discovery offers rare experimental support for the theory that a common viral infection, combined with a person's genetic makeup, can set off a chain reaction that leads to permanent damage of motor neurons.

Why it matters

The findings provide a potential animal model to study how viral infections and genetics may interact to trigger ALS and related motor neuron diseases. If researchers can identify early biomarkers that predict who is at higher risk for long-term motor neuron damage after a viral infection, it could lead to earlier diagnosis and new treatment strategies for sporadic ALS cases.

The details

The Texas A&M-led team infected five different strains of mice with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), a virus commonly used to study how infections affect the nervous system. They found that while the virus was eventually cleared from the spinal cord in all strains, the CC023 mice developed permanent muscle wasting and lesions in the spinal cord that closely resembled those seen in people with ALS. The researchers believe the CC023 strain's genetic background made it especially vulnerable to long-term harm from the early inflammatory response triggered by the viral infection.

  • Within the first two weeks after infection, every mouse strain showed nerve damage in the lumbar region of the spine.
  • Some mice began to show signs of illness as soon as four days after exposure to the virus.

The players

Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford

An associate professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health and a neurodegenerative disease expert who is the corresponding author of the study.

Texas A&M University

The university where the research team is based and the study was conducted.

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What they’re saying

“This is exciting because this is the first animal model that affirms the long-standing theory that a virus can trigger permanent neurological damage or disease — like ALS — long after the infection itself occurred.”

— Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford, Associate Professor, Texas A&M School of Public Health (Texas A&M University)

“This study gives us a new way to understand the various types of damage caused by a viral infection to the spinal cord and its nerves and muscles, especially since we now know that the initial viral infection triggers lasting, damaging reaction in susceptible individuals.”

— Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford, Associate Professor, Texas A&M School of Public Health (Texas A&M University)

What’s next

The researchers plan to further study the CC023 mouse strain to identify early biomarkers that could predict who is at higher risk for long-term motor neuron damage after a viral infection, which could lead to earlier diagnosis and new treatment strategies for sporadic ALS cases.

The takeaway

This study provides experimental evidence supporting the long-held theory that viral infections, combined with genetic factors, may play a role in triggering the development of ALS and other motor neuron diseases. The discovery of the CC023 mouse strain as a potential animal model could open new avenues for understanding the underlying mechanisms and identifying new targets for intervention.