Decreased expression of EAAT2 is strongly correlated with degeneration in the ventral spinal cord of deceased amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients137 and patient-derived synaptosomes are less competent at transporting glutamate.138 EAAT2 expression is also decreased in rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis139,140 as well as in dogs with canine degenerative myelopathy, which is a naturally occurring model of motor neuron disease.141,142 Together, these suggest that reduced EAAT2 may represent a strongly conserved pathological signature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The gene discussed is SLC1A2; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.