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The nutritional status of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) tends to decrease with disease progression, which further increases their fragility and low energy. A new study shows that nutritional counseling may increase food consumption in ALS patients and delay the loss of muscle and fat. The study, “Assessment…

Researchers report that the co-occurrence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis is far greater than expected, raising the possibility that the two conditions share underlying disease-causing events. But to understand if that is the case, researchers need to invest in studies of similarities in the…

How the TBK1 protein, the cell’s “clearing machinery,” contributes to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was the focus of a recent review study. The review, “Association Of Mutations In TBK1 With Sporadic And Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Frontotemporal Dementia,” published in the journal JAMA Neurology, was…

Researchers from the U.S. found a way to allow small substances to cross the blood-brain barrier and reach areas of the brain that are normally inaccessible. This means that drugs that are developed for the treatment of neurological conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could reach the brain and exert their activity.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened its long-term exhibition “Giving in America” on Nov. 29 to display the history of philanthropy’s role in shaping the United States. The collection includes one of the first buckets that tied the Ice Bucket Challenge to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…

ALS League Belgium, a patient organization helping the families of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), raised €302,000 (euro) to stimulate and fund research into the life-threatening nerve muscle disease. Three projects have been selected for support by ALS League Belgium this year, and details will be updated…

Researchers have found neuronal progenitor cells (immature cells that can become neurons) in the meninges, a three-layer structure enclosing the brain that protects the nervous system, according to a new study. This finding may lead to the development of new stem cell therapies for brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders such as…

Recent research demonstrates that patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a higher risk of developing depression, both immediately before and after being diagnosed with ALS. While the study, “Depression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” which appeared in the journal Neurology, could not state exactly how or…

More research studies with appropriate design and control are necessary to understand whether psychosocial interventions improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), says a new study review. The review, “Do Psychosocial Interventions Improve Quality Of Life And Wellbeing…

Muscle fibers secrete and concentrate a protein called fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) at the neuromuscular junctions, the area of contact between motor neurons and muscle fibers, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.