Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

The amount of time it takes to diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the use of Rilutek (riluzole) to treat it vary significantly across Canada, according to a new nationwide analysis of a patient registry. These findings highlight the need for future studies to identify the factors that contribute…

Loss of C9orf72, a protein whose corresponding gene is among those most often mutated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), causes an imbalance in the metabolism of fats (lipids) in motor neurons, a new study shows. These findings suggest that an imbalance in energy and lipid metabolism…

Mutations that affect a particular molecular pathway essential to protein production further support reports of a link between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The study detailing this finding, “The neurodegenerative diseases ALS and SMA are linked at the molecular level via the ASC-1 complex,”…

Mutations in a gene linked to familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), called FUS, affect the ability of motor nerve cells to repair damage to their DNA, a new study shows. These findings suggest that therapies that enhance the repair of DNA damage may be of benefit to some ALS patients.

Extracts of velvet bean and Indian ginseng, two plants commonly used in the Ayurvedic medicine of India, were found to ease sleep disturbances and hyperactivity in a fruit fly model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), while also rescuing locomotor function. The study, “Standardized phytotherapic extracts rescue anomalous locomotion and electrophysiological responses…

The University California San Diego (UC San Diego) has licensed the right to develop and commercialize an investigational gene therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease, called SynCav1, to CavoGene LifeSciences. The therapy may also benefit people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and cognitive decline disorders.

Tiglutik, an oral suspension of riluzole, is now available as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the U.S., ITF Pharma, the therapy’s developer and a subsidiary of Italfarmaco, recently announced. Rilutek (riluzole, marketed by Sanofi), has been available in the U.S. as 50 mg tablets…

The communication between motor neurons and muscles, which allow us to control our movements, is more dynamic than previously thought, a new study with zebra fish shows. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden discovered that adult motor neurons can switch their messenger, or neurotransmitter, in response to increased…

Retrotope is providing its investigational fatty acid being developed for Friedreich’s ataxia, RT001, to people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) under an expanded access program, also called “compassionate use.” Individual patients with life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases can petition the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, through their physicians,…

Nasal administration of two neuroprotective proteins, called Activin A and SerpinB2, reduced brain damage in a mouse model of stroke, a new study shows. These findings  suggest that nasal delivery of these proteins also may have clinical relevance for neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s and…