News

As many as a third of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also have symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which may be due to differences in brain activity between those with and without these symptoms, a study reports. The study, “Parkinsonian traits in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…

A possible new target for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway, which helps cells remove potentially harmful RNA, like RNA that’s been improperly processed or comes from viruses. Researchers in this early study also suggest that an asthma treatment known as tranilast (marketed in Japan…

The patterns of methylation in arginine residues circulating in the cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid that circulates in the brain and spinal cord — could be a strong indicator of disease progression and prognosis among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Increase of arginine dimethylation correlates…

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is financing eight new research projects aimed at developing new treatments and markers of disease progression for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The projects will investigate ALS mechanisms of disease, genetic causes, and pinpoint new therapy targets that can be used to develop better treatments. The…

The first group of teenagers and young adults has been chosen to participate in Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America’s (MTPA) ALSO US project, designed to promote awareness of the issues young people face when a parent or other loved one is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants…

Transplanting certain human bone marrow cells into mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) improved their motor function and preserved motor neurons by repairing the barrier protecting the spinal cord. The study with that finding, “Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitor Cell Transplantation into Symptomatic ALS Mice Delays Disease…

The Australian non-profit organization FightMND has awarded Lauren Sciences a AU$1 million ($710,000 US) grant to further the biotechnology company’s development of a new treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Specifically, the New York-based biotechnology company will use the funds to advance LAUR-301, a medicine that aims…

Rates of invasive assisted ventilation are 3.2 times higher in African Americans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared to Caucasian patients, which may explain why African American patients live longer, according to a recent study. The study, “Racial differences in intervention rates in individuals with ALS: A case-control study,”…

Increasing blood flow in the spinal cord by injecting a long-acting vasodilator can help prevent the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in mice, a study shows. The study, “Single injection of sustained-release prostacyclin analog ONO-1301-MS ameliorates hypoxic toxicity in the…

For more than four decades, comedian Jerry Lewis hosted the MDA Labor Day Telethon on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. That annual event helped the MDA become the nation’s largest non-government source of funding for neuromuscular disease research, with more than $1.4 billion disbursed since its establishment 68…