Our study identified ASK1 as a novel direct target of TRAF1 in the brain and potentially extends the biological functions of TRAF1 to other neurodegenerative diseases mediated by ASK1 in which neuronal death is also prominent, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease34 and Parkinson’s disease35. Here, TRAF1 is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.