It has been shown that among all inflammation-related IL-1 family cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, IL-37) and their endogenous inhibitors (IL-1Ra, sIL-1R2, IL-18BP, sIL-1R4) only IL-18 and its endogenous inhibitor, IL-18BP, are significantly increased in CSF of patients with ALS as measured by the ELISA method (14). The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.