TARDBP and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: In support of this view, we and others have described that the conserved TDP-43, a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNPs) largely associated with the pathogenesis of ALS [10–12] and permanently required in the motor system (comprising motoneurons, associated glia, and skeletal muscles) to maintain locomotor activity, becomes downregulated during aging in Drosophila and mammalian brains [13–21].