Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Editor’s note: The ALS News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17–22. Go here to read the latest stories from the conference. A new clinical trial will seek to determine the optimal timing to begin treatment with the investigational medication tofersen in people…

A novel system for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of zebrafish may be useful for studying the motor and neuronal deficits linked with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study suggests. The system was described in the journal Optica, in the study “Coded-aperture broadband light field imaging using…

Stretchable electronics that are “intrinsically” stretchable — meaning they have tissue-like mechanical properties that integrate sensory devices with human skin — can better detect signals from a patient’s body than current, more rigid sensors, a study suggests. For now, its researchers are looking into a design for these electronics as a…

An imaging technique, called 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), can be used to assess mitochondrial abnormalities in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study demonstrates. This non-invasive procedure could be useful for evaluating potential ALS treatments, researchers suggested. The study, “Magnetic resonance spectroscopy…

Abnormalities in the activity of the protein TDP-43, whose gene is often mutated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), can increase DNA damage in cells, a study shows. These findings shed light on the molecular underpinnings of ALS, and may open new avenues for treatment, its researchers said. The study,…

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who use melatonin have better survival outcomes and experience slower disease progression, a new analysis indicates. The findings suggest that melatonin may be beneficial for people with ALS. However, because the analysis was not designed to find cause-and-effect relationships, further studies are needed,…

Imaging data of brain inflammation in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that is obtained using different tracers and imaging equipment can be combined using a technique called the “pseudo reference region approach.” This finding may make it easier to conduct multi-center studies about ALS, according to a recent…

A system using human cells to model how the brain controls muscle movement has been developed for the first time, and scientists expect it to aid in understanding neurological disorders that affect movement, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study describing their model system, “Generation of Functional…

Target ALS, a nonprofit working to advance research, has awarded a second round of grants supporting four projects that aim to discover and develop biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The grants are part of The Target ALS Diagnosis Initiative, a $15 million comprehensive effort to discover…

Researchers at QurAlis have discovered a molecule with the potential to act as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in addition to a new therapeutic target for the disease. The findings from both projects were presented at the 31st International Symposium on ALS/MND,…