Joana Fernandes, PhD,  —

The nutritional status of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) tends to decrease with disease progression, which further increases their fragility and low energy. A new study shows that nutritional counseling may increase food consumption in ALS patients and delay the loss of muscle and fat. The study, “Assessment…

How the TBK1 protein, the cell’s “clearing machinery,” contributes to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was the focus of a recent review study. The review, “Association Of Mutations In TBK1 With Sporadic And Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Frontotemporal Dementia,” published in the journal JAMA Neurology, was…

Researchers have found neuronal progenitor cells (immature cells that can become neurons) in the meninges, a three-layer structure enclosing the brain that protects the nervous system, according to a new study. This finding may lead to the development of new stem cell therapies for brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders such as…

More research studies with appropriate design and control are necessary to understand whether psychosocial interventions improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), says a new study review. The review, “Do Psychosocial Interventions Improve Quality Of Life And Wellbeing…

Researchers have developed a new approach that might help ALS patients maintain their ability to communicate as disease progresses, according to a study published in the Journal of Neural Engineering. In the research paper, “Self-Regulation Of Brain Rhythms In The Precuneus: A Novel BCI Paradigm For Patients…

Incorporating music therapy into standard treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients may improve the patient’s quality of life, according to new research. The study, “Active Music Therapy Approach In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized-Controlled Trial,” was published in the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. “[T]he sonorous-music and…

Researchers have identified several new variants in genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), many in patients with no history of the disease in their family. The study, “Rare Variants In Neurodegeneration Associated Genes Revealed By Targeted Panel Sequencing In A German ALS Cohort,” was published in the journal Frontiers…

Mutations in a gene called SOD1 lead to the development of cellular anomalies associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study using animal models of the disease. Such anomalies included deficient regulation of amino acid levels, which are crucial for protein production and cell activity, but could…

A report in the journal Experimental Neurobiology reviewed the role of astrocytes (cells that support and protect neurons) and microglia (immune system cells in the brain) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The authors, from the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; the Department of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine;…

Smoking contributes to disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and decreases patient survival by about two years regardless of age, gender, or other disease modifiers such as respiratory function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ALS-associated gene mutations, according to new research. These findings suggest that neurologists should advise…