New eye imaging approach may help distinguish ALS from Alzheimer’s

An analysis of how polarized light interacts with clumps of proteins in the eyes may help differentiate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions, a new study shows. In experiments using post-mortem retinal samples — a light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye — researchers…

After living with my husband Todd’s ALS for more than 15 years, shouldn’t I be better at navigating this disease? Author Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that mastery comes after 10,000 hours of doing something. If that’s true, then surely I should have ALS figured out by now.

A Phase 2 clinical trial showed that early treatment with the experimental oral therapy PrimeC slowed functional decline and reduced the risk of death or ALS complications for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared with a six-month delay in treatment. Top-line results from the main Phase 2…

I’m not a pushy person. OK, maybe I’m pushy when I really have to be. Usually, I’m willing to adapt, adjust, and endure the many small daily challenges that come with living with ALS. But when it comes to lacking the proper modifications for my specific symptoms, I’ve…

A brain implant to detect attempted finger movements can enable people paralyzed by conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to type on a computer, a study showed. The findings build on a rapidly growing field of research into so-called implantable brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs), in which electrodes are implanted…

Acurastem has received a research grant from Target ALS to develop potential therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that target SYF2, a protein involved in regulating TDP-43 function. Abnormalities in the TDP-43 protein are a hallmark of ALS and are believed to play a central role in…

Amydis has received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a simple eye test that could help detect toxic deposits of the TDP-43 protein — a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and several other neurodegenerative diseases. With the funding from the…

In 2021, I participated in a Zoom meeting about ALS community engagement. My husband, Jeff, had passed away from the disease a year earlier, but I have remained involved in advocacy. It was during the meeting that I met a compelling young woman named Leah Stavenhagen. Then in her late…

Keros Therapeutics is collaborating with Massachusetts General Hospital to design a clinical trial evaluating its therapy candidate rinvatercept in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). According to the developer, the therapy may help preserve muscle strength and function, and improve quality of life, for those with the progressive…

The outside temperature was cold, just 15 F, but the sun was shining, so I decided to forgo my elliptical machine and instead walk down our country road. I checked on my husband, Todd, to make sure it was OK to leave, and then slid into my snow pants and…