The invention provides compositions and methods for treating neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease, among others. Using the compositions and methods described herein, a patient having a neurological disorder, such as a neurological disorder associated with TAR-DNA binding protein (TDP)-43 aggregation, may be administered an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isoform 51A1 (CYP51A1), also referred to herein as lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase, so as to treat an underlying etiology of the disorder and/or to alleviate one or more symptoms of the disease. The inhibitor of CYP51A1 may be a small molecule, anti-CYP51A1 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, or a compound, such as an interfering RNA molecule, that attenuates CYP51A1 expression. Patients that may be treated using the compositions and methods described herein include those that express a mutant TDP-43 isoform containing a mutation associated with TDP-43-promoted aggregation and toxicity.