Overexpression of genetic risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) [tau (Kraemer et al., 2003; Miyasaka et al., 2005; Brandt et al., 2009)] and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [TDP-43 and FUS (Vaccaro et al., 2012)], as well as exposure to several heavy metals [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and Mn (Du and Wang, 2009; Xing et al., 2009b)] results in GABAergic neurodegeneration in nematodes. Here, TARDBP is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.