News

German researchers have found that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not more common in ALS patients than in the general population, despite previous suggestions of a link between them. The study, “Lack of an association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),” appeared in the…

A Phase 2/3 clinical trial showed that arimoclomol has the potential to slow ALS patients’ functional decline, according its maker, CytRx Corporation. Arimocolomal did better than a placebo at slowing the decline in patients with a rapidly worsening disease, although the differences were not statistically significant, researchers said. It was also…

Some immune cells in the brain can protect it from the damaging effects of faulty TDP-43 protein, preventing the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in mice, University of Pennsylvania researchers report. The findings challenged a long-held assumption that the immune cells play a role in damaging nerve cells, the team…

In recognition of Rare Disease Day 2018, Bionews Services — which publishes this website — will attend and report on three relevant conferences in the U.S. dealing with policies and programs of importance to patients and their families. The three are among 50 events in 32 states…

Researchers at the NYU School of Medicine described a new strategy to preserve muscle function in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The finding could have implications for the treatment of alterations that occur in the early phases of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The…

ALS patients who took Rilutek (riluzole) for at least three-fourths of the time they had their disease survived longer than those who took it less, an Italian study reports. Rilutek is the first ALS treatment to obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Scientists are still not sure how it…

Researchers homed in on how a particular protein, called semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), affects the survival of motor neurons in both the brain and spinal cord in models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Their study, “ALS-related human cortical and motor neurons survival is differentially affected by Sema3A,” appeared in the…

A rock-painting contest in Las Vegas. A fashion show in New York. A 7,000-meter race around the Washington Monument that’ll coincide with a similar #Racefor7 event in Bengaluru and Mumbai, India. From Athens to Atlanta, from San Diego to Sydney, people across the globe will mark World Rare Disease…

Fat molecules appear to play a role in the development of ALS, which means that targeting them could be a way to treat the disease, French researchers concluded in a review of studies on the topic. This is particularly true of derivations of the fat molecule cholesterol known as oxysterols, which…

Interleukin 4 reduces the severity of clinical symptoms during the early phase of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but has no effect in halting the death of motor neuron cells as ALS progresses, an Italian mouse study shows. The study, “Interleukin 4 modulates microglia homeostasis and attenuates the early slowly…