Promising BCI tech can translate thoughts to speech for ALS patients

New research is bringing mind-to-speech technology a step closer to reality for people with paralysis, including those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who lose the ability to speak. A proof-of-principle study shows that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can translate a person’s silent thoughts into spoken words and could provide…

Last Sunday, on the morning of our 22nd wedding anniversary, as I was getting my husband, Todd, out of bed, he asked if I’d heard the song “To Build a Home.” I hadn’t. “Alexa, play ‘To Build a Home‘ by the Cinematic Orchestra and Patrick Watson,” Todd said.

I know I’ve said this many times, but it’s worth repeating: One of the most important lessons ALS has taught me is to never give up. This leads me into this week’s column. It’s a story about shoes and my pursuit of the perfect pair. Spoiler alert: There’s a…

A retrospective analysis using data from two clinical studies and their extension periods showed that Radicava ORS, an oral formulation of edaravone, slows functional decline and helps adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) live longer. “This analysis provides additional data to help characterize functional outcomes and potential impact of…

A veterinary medication repurposed as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) helped patients live longer and slowed disease progression in a long-term clinical trial. The drug, NUZ-001 from Neurizon Therapeutics, was generally safe and well tolerated in the open-label extension (NCT06177431) study, which tested the treatment in…

China’s National Medical Products Administration has granted Sineugene Therapeutics permission to begin clinical trials of its gene therapy SNUG01 in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), clearing the way for clinical trials. The announcement follows a similar decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It sets…

The second edition of ALS Nexus — a conference hosted earlier this month in Dallas by the ALS Association — brought together people from across the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) community to connect with each other, celebrate recent advances, and share hope for the future. “What really…

Due to a lack of resources and personnel, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has delayed its decision on whether or not to lift the clinical hold on NUZ-001, Neurizon Therapeutics’ investigational therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the developer announced. A decision from the regulatory agency…

I was on schedule Monday morning to get out the door by 11:45 until I had an unwelcome visitor. I had a noon appointment for something that would be difficult to reschedule, so I got my husband, Todd, out of bed early. I parked his power wheelchair at his counter-height…

This summer, I’ve been superfocused on a special fix-up project — namely, my posture. Why? Because earlier this year, whether I was sitting, standing, or walking, I noticed a slow slump forward of my upper body. Oh, I’d always begin sitting tall, but somehow, I’d morph into a shorter me.