A research project underway at the University of Rhode Island (URI) aims to help people with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other severely limiting disorders communicate better by interacting with a computer that can translate their thoughts. Among the consequences of motor diseases like ALS is the…
Distinct RNA patterns in a person’s blood may signal the presence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study reports. Researchers, led by Majid Hafezparast, PhD, a professor of molecular neuroscience at the University of Sussex in the U.K., discovered that certain types of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), a…
Three Canadian provinces — Ontario, New Brunswick, and Alberta — have added Radicava (edaravone), a treatment for with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to their provincial medication plans. These recent but separate actions mean that Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s intravenous infusion therapy is now listed on each province’s individual public…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients who never regularly engaged in sports or physical activity have more extensive metabolic changes in the brain that likely help them to better cope with the disease’s neurodegenerative processes, a study from Europe suggests. These changes can reflect either greater metabolic activity in a…
The Alexion Charitable Foundation has awarded $1.1 million in grants to programs that support those with rare diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization recently announced. The grants will support activities that align with the foundation’s Rare Belonging focus, a set of funding priorities aimed at improving the…
The levels of certain indicators of iron status, namely ferritin and transferrin, are altered in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) relative to healthy controls, suggesting a possible link between iron metabolism and ALS, a study has found. The results, “Abnormal Serum Iron-Status Indicator Changes in…
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investing $25 million over five years in a program to encourage innovative research that deepens our understanding of  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with a goal of better treating the disease. Called Accelerating Leading-edge Science in ALS (ALS2), the initiative aims at…
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $3.3 million grant to researchers at two universities to advance studies of TDP-43, a protein that builds to form toxic clumps in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. Their goal is to better understand how…
Caffeine, an antioxidant with neuroprotective properties, was seen to promote the normal development of lab-cultured motor neurons isolated from a mouse model of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Similar results were also found with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in its oxidized form (NAD+), a metabolic cofactor…
Each June 21 marks Global Day 2020, 24 hours set aside to heighten awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to raise money to fight it. Ample ways exist to participate in the worldwide event that’s coordinated by the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, whose member organizations…
Get regular updates to your inbox.