Out of 2257 RNA changes which occur in 1804 genes in C9ORF72-ALS, manipulating the expression levels of 362 transcripts only (∼16%, including 261 protein-coding genes) is sufficient to confer neuroprotection in vitro (Fig. 2c) suggesting that the large majority of RNA alterations are not directly related to pathogenesis but are likely to be downstream consequences of the neurodegenerative process. Here, C9orf72 is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.