Subtle Changes in MicroRNA-218 May Fuel ALS

Subtle Changes in MicroRNA-218 May Fuel ALS

Dropping the levels of microRNA-218 (miR-218) — a small molecule that regulates the activity of other genes — below a certain threshold leads to severe motor neuron damage, paralysis, and death in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study shows. The findings, combined with the fact that…

Masitinib Helps Keep Inflammatory Mast Cells From Spinal Cord

Mast cells, a type of immune cell, infiltrate the spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and rodent models of the disease, exhibiting pro-inflammatory features that are likely involved in motor neuron and microvasculature damage, a study suggests. Notably, treating these mice models with masitinib — an experimental oral…

I AM ALS Expanding Efforts Into Research, Patient Support

I AM ALS, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is expanding its efforts in scientific research and public policy. The organization’s new Science and Policy program will include three key focuses, according to a press release emailed to ALS News Today.

NIH $1.25M Grant Supports Work Into Nerve Cell Loss in ALS

A Temple University research team received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant totaling $1.25 million to explore the molecular underpinnings of neuronal degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases. With this five-year grant, the team led by Gareth Thomas, PhD, an associate professor of neural sciences…

Winning the Battle Against Daily Distractions

I love daily routines. For me, having a set of habits and to-do projects waiting to be tackled helps me feel grounded when the world’s events are in turmoil. And more importantly, daily routines keep my mind focused on things other than my ALS. What I don’t love are disruptions,…