The primary glutamate transporter, SLC1A2 (also known as EAAT2) (responsible for ∼90% of CNS glutamate uptake) (Tanaka et al. 1997), has been shown to be markedly reduced in the spinal cord of ALS patients (Lin et al. 1998; Sasaki et al. 2000). Here, SLC1A2 is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.