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Scientists have found a potential protein biomarker in the cerebrospinal fluid of people carrying the most common mutation linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — suggesting that this protein may be useful to test the effects of drugs to treat this form of ALS in future clinical trials. The study, “Poly(GP) proteins are…

Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) could trigger amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a Dutch study shows. The study, “Occupational exposure and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a prospective cohort,” appeared in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Given that only 5 to 10 percent of ALS cases are hereditary, scientists…

Researchers have found a link between small amounts of metals in the blood in a group of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the occurrence of the disease in a geographical area that has a higher rate of ALS. While this occurrence cannot be considered to be the sole cause…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients follow no distinct swallowing pattern, and this may account for the development of swallowing difficulties over time that can lead to life-threatening choking, a study reports. The research, “The Importance Of The Reproducibility Of Oropharyngeal Swallowing In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Electrophysiological Study,” was…

A previously unknown mutation in the BICD2 gene caused juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a Chinese woman in her 20s, according to a case study. The gene had previously been linked to other neurodegenerative conditions, prompting researchers to believe that the mutation can give rise to ALS when other…

Urine levels of a protein component known as p75ECD may be a valuable biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study. The research, “Urinary p75ECD: A Prognostic, Disease Progression, And Pharmacodynamics Biomarker In ALS,” was published in the journal Neurology. The National…

Schizophrenia in relatives of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients is caused by shared genetic factors that increase the risk of both conditions, researchers confirmed. This prompted them to contend that scientists should view ALS as a disease of brain connections, rather than of individual brain cells. The way to treat…

Poor bone health that makes people vulnerable to fractures may be a risk factor for the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study. The research, “Association Of Fractures With The Incidence Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” was published in the journal Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal…

An opinion piece titled “A serious and often overlooked issue for patients with brain diseases: Swallowing” by Dr. Donald Bolser, a professor at the University of Florida recently published in the independent news and views website The Conversation, highlights the importance of detecting and treating impaired swallowing in people with brain disease.

Mutations in a protein called VCP lead to problems with energy production in muscles and the onset of IBMPFD, a neurodegenerative disease similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study reports. VCP inhibitors were seen to reverse the processes that damaged and killed muscle cells, and may be of value in ALS. The study, “…