In the present study, the expression level of VGF in postmortem spinal cords of sporadic ALS patients was markedly down-regulated, but typically expressed at high levels in the spinal cords of the control patients in any sections cervical 7 (C7), thoracic 8 (T8), and lumbar 4 (L4), respectively (Fig. 5E). Here, VGF is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.