We Are Both Patients

I asked my husband, Todd, why he thought our relationship worked as well as it does. I was preparing to write a column about how we still love each other through the stress of living with his ALS for a decade now. It would be understandable for him to…

MND-SMART, a pivotal platform trial designed to simultaneously test multiple treatment candidates in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other motor neuron diseases, has opened its third clinical site in Scotland. This type of platform trial, distinct from typical clinical trials that test a single treatment…

“Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus?/ You gotta help me make a stand./ You just got to see me through another day./ My body is achin’ and my time is at hand./ I won’t make it any other way.”…

A $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding work to better understand how molecular structures called protein-RNA condensates form and are regulated within cells. Findings from the five-year project could help in understanding and treating diseases where these molecular structures play a role, including…

It’s always gratifying to know what I write is helpful to others living with ALS. Recently, I wrote about how I periodically take the time to review my daily habits and set new goals for the month. While readers left many comments thanking me, others asked if I had…

Head trauma, electrical burns, and hobbies involving the toxic metal lead appear to be risk factors for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a U.S.-based study found. Holding a job in mechanics, painting, or construction also significantly increase the chances of developing the disease, researchers noted. The study, “…

A metabolite of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is found at significantly lower levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a small study found. This metabolite, or hormone, is likely critical for the survival of motor neurons, and its lack in the central…

Treatment with AMX0035, Amylyx’s experimental oral therapy, significantly extends the lives of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with rapidly progressing disease, according to a long-term survival analysis of the CENTAUR Phase 2/3 trial. The new data were reported in a study titled “Long‐Term…

October is International Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month, set aside annually to inform the public about how amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and others use these devices to communicate. From educational presentations to personal videos, supporters globally are marking the event organized by the International…

We had an unseasonably warm fall day while Todd’s sister was visiting from out of state last week. I asked Todd if he’d want to head down to McLain State Park just 15 minutes from our home. “I suppose,” he said somewhat reluctantly. He wanted to be social even…