Furthermore, high levels of phosphorylated IGF1R at NMJs may confer resistance to motor degeneration in ALS mice72, suggesting that levels of neurotrophic factors and/or their receptors (e.g. BDNF/TrkB) could indeed play a role in selective vulnerability to motor terminal loss in peripheral neuropathy. The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.