Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have a more active innate immune system — the part of the immune system that acts as a first responder to threats — tend to have faster disease progression and poorer survival, a study of large data showed. Findings suggest that measuring…

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spend time less asleep and wake up often during the night, a new analysis shows. Because good sleep is critical for quality of life, the findings emphasize the importance of testing sleep quality in ALS so appropriate treatments can be given if needed,…

New Brunswick is reimbursing, through its public health insurance program, the cost of Albrioza (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine) for eligible residents living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Canadian province is the country’s fourth to provide public coverage for the oral therapy — marketed in the U.S.

It’s long been known that some molecules are misplaced in the nerve cells that progressively die in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but a new study shows this affects hundreds of different molecules, not just a handful, as previously thought. “This research represents a shift in our thinking about what…

A new genetic risk score that takes hundreds of different genetic variations into account may help predict who’s most likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The score needs to be validated in future studies before being used in the clinic, but could be important to stratify people according…

Work into developing molecules that block microRNA-155 (miR-155) as potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has advanced to the stage of testing candidate molecules in animal models of the disease. Initiated last year, the miR-155 project is a collaboration between scientists at Regulus Therapeutics and Brigham…

A messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule that provides the instructions for a protein involved in glutamate signaling is not edited as efficiently in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients as in people without the neurological disorder, according to a new study suggesting its potential use as an ALS biomarker. Glutamate is…

Allopurinol and carvedilol, two medications respectively used to manage gout and high blood pressure, significantly reduce the chances of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. “These findings suggest a possible new direction for repurposing or developing medications for neuroprotection,” Brad…

A sizable portion of people with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) carry a genetic mutation known to cause other neurological disorders, a new study shows. “This suggests shared risk factors among these diseases, shared mechanisms that cause nerves to die – and perhaps shared therapeutic strategies in the future,”…

An early clinical trial is testing whether fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) — a procedure that aims to introduce healthy bacteria to the digestive tract — might reduce inflammation among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “With this information, we could potentially provide new approaches for treatments by altering or…