News

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has opened a financial assistance program for people in rare disease community who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Called the NORD COVID-19 Critical Relief Program, the effort will provide up to $1,000 annually to those eligible to…

A weak link only between a person’s current smoking study and greater risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was seen by scientists in a U.K. study, with no evidence that lifetime smoking exposure affects such risk. The researchers believe that this weak association is likely a “false-positive,” and there…

Injecting tiny particles carrying adapalene — an activator of the retinoic acid signaling pathway — to the brain and spinal cord of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can prolong animals’ survival, improve their motor function, and prevent neurodegeneration, a study shows. The study, “…

A  way of examining multiple genes or the entire human genome at the same time, called next-generation sequencing (NGS), is a promising tool for diagnosing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in routine clinical practice, a review study suggests. This method’s approach is faster and less expensive than the standard…

Changes in the metabolism of a class of fat molecules called sphingolipids may be a cause of motor neuron diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study reports. Targeting these alterations may open new way of treating these conditions. Sphingolipids are a class of lipids (fats) with a…

When amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms emerge during adolescence, mutations in the FUS gene are likely to blame, findings from a case report suggest. Mutations in this gene also are the cause of some adult-onset ALS cases. However, FUS-associated ALS is more aggressive in children in whom these…

Levels of plasma creatinine — a metabolic product of healthy muscle — are significantly associated with the functional status of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, and can help predict their survival, results from a new study show. The findings suggest that plasma creatinine may be an important biomarker…

A shift in the make-up of immune cells found in the blood of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) favors specific types of pro-inflammatory T-helper cells in detriment to anti-inflammatory regulatory T-cells, a study has found. This change in immune cells’ balance is associated with disease severity…

A $25,000 Ionis Pharmaceuticals scholarship will help amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients in the San Diego, California, area participate in a host of integrative physical and mental wellness programs through Adapt Functional Movement Center. The full range of personalized sessions will be provided online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Designed…

Seneca Biopharma announced that work is underway to advance NSI-566, its leading stem cell treatment candidate, into a Phase 3 study in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The decision followed a meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is supported by data collected from…