Specifically, astrocyte-mediated downregulation of EAAT2, leading to a decrease in glutamate uptake and subsequent potentiation of excitotoxic effects, has been reported in both ALS patients and SOD1G93A mice (Howland et al., 2002), as well as in the TDP-43 rat model (Tong et al., 2013), correlating with regions of motor neuron loss (Sasaki et al., 2000). The gene discussed is SLC1A2; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.