“If anything can go wrong, it will.” — Murphy’s Law That adage could be the ALS anthem. From the onset of mysterious symptoms to the serpentine-like diagnostic process and worst-case outcome, and by watching your body unfailingly obey his maxim, the prophet Murphy is seemingly ever-present. The…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved MediciNova’s plans for a pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial that will explore the potential of ibudilast (MN-166) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Pending the success of the trial, the company hopes the collected clinical data will support the…
Recently, I attended an “Ask the Experts” educational seminar sponsored by my local chapter of the ALS Association. It’s an annual event that presents current information on ALS-related topics and allows attendees to exchange ideas with fellow ALS patients. This year’s theme was “ALS clinical trials…
Damaged activity of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be alleviated by inducing autophagy, a process where cells degrade or recycle components that are damaged or no longer needed, a study says. The study, “FUS pathology in ALS is linked to alterations in multiple ALS-associated proteins…
The most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disrupts the shape and workings of a compartment inside a cell’s nucleus, researchers report, detailing a discovery that helps to explain how this mutation prompts cell death in ALS. Abnormalities resulting from this mutation, specifically the length of the…
As many as a third of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also have symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which may be due to differences in brain activity between those with and without these symptoms, a study reports. The study, “Parkinsonian traits in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…
A possible new target for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway, which helps cells remove potentially harmful RNA, like RNA that’s been improperly processed or comes from viruses. Researchers in this early study also suggest that an asthma treatment known as tranilast (marketed in Japan…
The patterns of methylation in arginine residues circulating in the cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid that circulates in the brain and spinal cord — could be a strong indicator of disease progression and prognosis among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Increase of arginine dimethylation correlates…
It doesn’t matter if you are a patient living with ALS, or the person who provides care, ALS can feel overwhelming. Too many changes, too many decisions, and our own energy ups and downs can make us want to throw in the towel and holler, “I give…
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is financing eight new research projects aimed at developing new treatments and markers of disease progression for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The projects will investigate ALS mechanisms of disease, genetic causes, and pinpoint new therapy targets that can be used to develop better treatments. The…
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