Cigarette smoking may speed progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and reduce survival in patients with the disease, according to a new collaborative study from Italian universities and research institutes. The study, “Influence of cigarette smoking on ALS outcome: a population-based study” was published in The Journal of Neurology…
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Most patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) develop respiratory problems in the advanced stage of their disease and are put on chronic ventilator support to improve their symptoms. Now a new study shows that despite improved respiration, the patients’ quality of life may worsen over time. The study, “Is Chronic…
Recent research identified molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, particularly phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH), to be likely biomarkers for diagnosing ALS. ALS, an aggressive neurological disorder, is now diagnosed based on clinical evaluation. Biomarkers in the diagnostic process would allow clinicians to more easily distinguish ALS from…
Because of increasing evidence of metabolic disturbances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, researchers at the University of Queensland tested whether ALS could be targeted at the metabolic level. Results indicate that by increasing energy sources with the triglyceride supplement triheptanoin, they could delay motor neuron loss in an animal model.
Engineers at MIT have developed a device that replicates the neuromuscular junction — the connection between motor neurons (the type of neurons that communicate and stimulate muscles, coming from the spinal cord) and muscle cells. The tool, which gives researchers access to technology in the lab that recreates how neurons stimulate muscles,…
Flex Pharma has begun a Phase 2 clinical trial assessing FLX-787 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim of the study, taking place in Australia, is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of FLX-787 in treating ALS-related leg cramps and/or spasticity. Patients with ALS — a…
Although cognitive impairment is common in patients with ALS, the reliability of the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” (RMET), a measure of social cognitive function, had yet to been established. Here, researchers confirm this is a reliable and efficient measure of social cognition in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients,…
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques may detect biomarkers for early diagnosis in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a review study titled “The value of magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review,” published in BMC Neurology. Biomarkers are measurable substances, such…
Astroglial cells in the brain were seen to contribute to the death of neurons by promoting inflammation in an in vitro laboratory model of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Astrocytes are brain cells that are usually known for their protective role toward neurons in conditions such as stroke and spinal cord injury. But…
The U.S. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s new drug application (NDA) for edaravone as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A decision regarding the intravenous treatment is expected by June 16, 2017, based on the U.S. Prescription Drug User Fee Act. If it is…
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