José Lopes, PhD, managing science editor —

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients experiencing feelings of apathy reported lower quality of life (QoL), particularly regarding achievements in life and community connectedness, a new Australian study reports. The research, “Apathy and its impact on patient outcome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” appeared in the Journal of…

A naturally occurring enzyme improves ALS symptoms in mice and could lead to effective therapies in humans, a study suggests. The research, “Deletion of NAMPT in Projection Neurons of Adult Mice Leads to Motor Dysfunction, Neurodegeneration, and Death,” appeared in the journal Cell Reports. Data from…

A new model for predicting ALS patients’ survival looks promising, University of Michigan researchers report. In fact, it want a competition for models that can forecast survival. A combination of patients’ ability to walk, breathe and eat, plus their scores on a physical functioning scale and a lung function measure…

A dissolving tablet version of riluzole called BHV-0223 has shown positive bioequivalence when compared to the oral form of the therapy, Rilutek, developer Biohaven Pharmaceuticals announced. The dissolving tablet, placed under the tongue, is easier to administrate to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have trouble swallowing. BHV-0223 also was found…

NeuroSGC, a new scientific partnership formed by the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) and the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) aims to discover new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease — both of which currently lack effective therapies. Drug discovery for these and other neurological…

Repeated severe trauma to the body or mild injuries to the head — especially at midlife — raise a person’s risk of ALS, a European case-control study from the EURALS consortium shows. The new research, “Trauma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a european population-based case-control study from…

Military veterans in the United States who were deployed to World War II or who handled burning agents during their service show shorter amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) survival, a new study finds. The research, “Military service, deployments, and exposures in relation to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis survival,” appeared in…

Long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of a person developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a Dutch study shows. The study, “Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Netherlands: A Population-based Case–control Study,” appeared in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Scientists say…

Measuring changes in how humans find their way could enable earlier diagnosis of dementia in neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Alzheimer’s disease, a new review study suggests. The research, “The Aging Navigational System,” appeared…

Research into the development of new therapies to treat several traumatic, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) received an important financial boost with the announcement by Disarm Therapeutics that it will receive $30 million in financing to develop treatments for axonal degeneration. Disarm was founded in 2016 as a…