Researchers in China recently evaluated the changes of ferritin levels in the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They found that ALS patients exhibited significantly increased levels of ferritin, an iron-based protein, a result that indicates ferritin has value as a biomarker and could be used for…
Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, in collaboration with several U.S. institutions, suggest that the collapse of the mitochondria‐associated membranes (MAM) is linked to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mitochondria‐associated membranes regulate calcium levels, mitochondrial function, and cell death in the body, and have been linked to neurodegenerative…
New research points to evidence that physical fitness, body mass index (BMI), IQ, and stress resilience in young adults might play a role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Physical and cognitive fitness in young adulthood and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at an…
Incorporating music therapy into standard treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients may improve the patient’s quality of life, according to new research. The study, “Active Music Therapy Approach In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized-Controlled Trial,” was published in the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. “[T]he sonorous-music and…
Researchers have identified several new variants in genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), many in patients with no history of the disease in their family. The study, “Rare Variants In Neurodegeneration Associated Genes Revealed By Targeted Panel Sequencing In A German ALS Cohort,” was published in the journal Frontiers…
Mutations in a gene called SOD1 lead to the development of cellular anomalies associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study using animal models of the disease. Such anomalies included deficient regulation of amino acid levels, which are crucial for protein production and cell activity, but could…
Repeated head injury can cause brain inflammation that triggers the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a condition that has been linked to several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy,” was published in the…
A report in the journal Experimental Neurobiology reviewed the role of astrocytes (cells that support and protect neurons) and microglia (immune system cells in the brain) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The authors, from the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; the Department of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine;…
Smoking contributes to disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and decreases patient survival by about two years regardless of age, gender, or other disease modifiers such as respiratory function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ALS-associated gene mutations, according to new research. These findings suggest that neurologists should advise…
Advanced neuroimaging techniques and neuropsychological evaluations of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) recently confirmed the existence of a unique micro-structural brain degeneration pattern that contributes to memory loss, according to a study conducted by an international research team that included a group from Baylor College of Medicine. The report, “…
