The most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disrupts the shape and workings of a compartment inside a cell’s nucleus, researchers report, detailing a discovery that helps to explain how this mutation prompts cell death in ALS. Abnormalities resulting from this mutation, specifically the length of the…
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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,”…
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Improving Oxygen Supply to the Spinal Cord May Help Prevent ALS Progression, Mouse Study Suggests
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…
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