News

ALS Patients Show Increased Response to Specific Receptor in Spinal Cord

Motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients is caused by several factors, including inflammation and oxidative stress. Uncovering the multiple pathways leading to ALS may suggest new ways to intervene therapeutically. University of Pittsburgh researchers found the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) and its ligands, or…

ALS Protein Dynamics May Hold Clues for Disease Progression

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have suggested there is a fine balance between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-related protein TDP-43’s normal function and its potential to cause neurodegeneration. The degeneration seems to occur due to pathological factors that exaggerate the protein’s membrane association, resulting in the loss of its physiological functions as well as…

Neuronal Degeneration Linked to Decline in a Synaptic Protein

University of Bern researchers have discovered that the synaptic protein Homer-3 is linked to the death of Purkinje motor neurons in Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a motor neuron disease that, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is characterized by extensive motor neuron loss. The study, titled “Impaired mTORC1-Dependent Expression of…

ALS and Other Neurological Disorders May Benefit from Prions Created in Lab

A research group — coordinated by Giuseppe Legname from The Laboratory of Prion Disease, SISSA, Trieste, Italy — has found a way to build artificial prions, assembling the proteins in a serial manner. The study was performed in collaboration with the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan and the results were published in the journal…

ALS Symptoms Found in Mice Lacking a Specific MicroRNA Molecule

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered that a set of messenger RNAs, controlled by the microRNA miR-218, define a specific network of neuronal genes that are repressed to prevent neuromuscular damage and neurodegeneration. Loss of miR-218 was seen to lead to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral…

Phi Delta Theta Fraternity Awards $100,000 to Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Research Fellow Studying ALS

The ALS Association has announced the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity is contributing to support the Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellow Program by awarding $100,000 over two years to Antonia Dominguez, Ph.D., a researcher focused on finding treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellowships were founded by the Safenowitz family…

Protein Clumps Linked to ALS Motor Neuron Death Seen for First Time

Researchers at University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine are reporting the first evidence-based description of the neuronal protein clumps thought to be toxic to motor neurons and instigators of the neuronal degeneration seen in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The laboratory discovery of the form of these unstable clumps, known as SOD1 proteins, and…

ALS Phase 3 Study of Masitinib Reaches Target Patient Enrollment

AB Science recently announced it has completed its targeted enrollment of 381 patients for an ongoing Phase 3 study evaluating masitinib in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Masitinib is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to target important immune system cells known as mast cells and macrophages. Its mechanism of action…