Studies have revealed that the autophagy adaptor protein p62 (sequestosome 1, SQSTM1) mediates the degradation of survival motor neuron (SMN) through interaction, resulting in reduced autophagosome clearance and overactivation of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) neurons [411]. This evidence concerns the gene SQSTM1 and proximal spinal muscular atrophy.