Action Ice Bucket Challenge has helped identify the causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – TASS

MOSCOW, July 27. / TASS /. Action Ice Bucket Challenge, whose members bathed in ice water or to transfer funds to the relief fund through the patient amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has helped scientists to discover NEK1 gene, presumably related to the development of diseases of the nervous system. Organization ALS Association , collect money under the flashmob, July 25 told about the results.

By comparing the genomes of more than 15 thousand. man, suffering from this disease, with the genomes of their healthy relatives, experts have concluded that only 3% of the mutations of this gene lead to paralysis and death. It is expected that further study will help find a way to deal with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Flashmob under the name Ice Bucket Challenge was launched in early August 2014 in the United States. IT-giants, actors, musicians and politicians have started to massively pour ice water and pass the baton to each other. The action was intended to talk about the nervous system disease called “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. This disease, in particular, suffer from the English physicist, founder and director of the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at Cambridge University Stephen Hawking. People who would like to support the campaign, had to pour the bucket or basin with cold water and place an entry in the network. After that, they can challenge your friends. Those who have not performed the task for the day, had to make a donation of $ 100 to the fund patients.

In Russia, the event was attended by politicians, Sergei Mironov, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Georgy Poltavchenko, singer Philip Kirkorov, hockey player Alexander Ovechkin and other

Among the international celebrities who took part in the action, -. the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, actor Benedict Cumberbatch, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, first Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond , former US President George W. Bush.

Federal Service does not recommend strongly included in the campaign Ice Bucket Challenge