News

A research team led by Diego Minciacchi of the University of Florence in Italy identified a population of neurons that might explain the cognitive alterations antecedent to motor symptoms in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The study entitled, “Increased anxiety-like behavior and selective learning impairments are concomitant to…

A study at King’s College London with patients recruited from the South-East ALS Register in England concluded that decision-making processes for ALS patients are complex, multidimensional and need individualized treatment and more patient-focused support. The results were presented in a publication entitled: “Accepting or…

Biopharmaceutical company MediciNova, Inc. recently completed enrollment of the first 30 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for its clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy MN-166 (ibudilast). The company plans to add another 30 participants…

In a new study entitled “Neuronal death induced by misfiled prion protein is due to NAD+ depletion and can be relieved in vitro and in vivo by NAD+ replenishment,” researchers report that in protein misfolding neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, neuronal death…

In a new study entitled “Transcriptome profiling of expression changes during neuronal death by RNA-Seq,” a research team employed RNA-sequencing to identify novel genes that might help regulate the death of neurons, a characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. The study was published in the journal…

The national nonprofit United Spinal Association is advocating along with the Washington DC Taxicab Commission (DCTC) for the implementation of the DC Taxicab Service Improvement Amendment Act of 2012’s regulations and an increase in taxis able to carry wheelchairs. The implementation of the rule may impact the lives of people suffering from…

Investigators at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine are currently enrolling participants for a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00821132), that aims to identify genes that increase risk for sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or cause inherited ALS. The study, entitled “Identification of Genes Causing Familial ALS or Increasing Risk…

BioMotiv is a drug advancement accelerator associated with The Harrington Project, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and University of Washington, Seattle working on breakthrough discoveries and new therapeutics that have the potential to address unmet clinical needs. Recently, the accelerator announced the creation of a platform company, OptiKira, that will…

The first app for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients who have begun to lose their speaking abilities was recently launched by UK company Therapy Box. The app was designed to substitute standard text-to-speech synthesis with a synthesizer based on the patient’s own voice. The Predictable 4 app has entered the ModelTalker program, at a…

Dr. Nancy Bonini A recent editorial published in the journal Neurology highlights the existing scope of clinical knowledge concerning genetic susceptibility that makes individuals prone to developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The editorial content was based on a thorough…