Psychiatric medications linked to increased ALS risk, worse outcomes

People prescribed common psychiatric medications had a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and saw worse outcomes after a diagnosis, with shorter survival and faster functional decline, a study in Sweden finds. Taking anxiolytics for anxiety, hypnotics or sedatives to help sleep or induce calm, or antidepressants…

Dazucorilant, an oral cortisol modulator being developed by Corcept Therapeutics, significantly improved survival among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Despite it failing to slow disease progression, the trial’s main goal, Corcept is now seeking guidance from U.S. and European regulators to determine…

An investigational brain-computer interface has allowed a man diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to speak in real time, and sing simple melodies, a new study reports. The system can detect the sounds a person intends to produce instead of their intended words, and this allowed the man…

It was seven years ago this summer that I unwittingly and unwillingly became a part of the ALS community when my late husband, Jeff, began exhibiting foot drop and slurred speech, symptoms that were worrisome enough for us to seek medical answers. His relatively quick diagnosis of ALS that…

A bipartisan team of U.S. congressional legislators is calling for increased funding to support research seeking to better understand and develop new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat representing a district in Colorado, authored a letter to various congressional committees that has been signed…

Someone in an online caregiver support group posted that they were finding value in using ChatGPT as a therapist. Other caregivers chimed in, saying they also turn to the artificial intelligence chatbot for support and find it surprisingly helpful. One person suggested prompting it to “respond like a counselor” or…

Toilets aren’t one of the topics that come up in most conversations, but for those of us living with ALS, it’s fairly common and not at all embarrassing. We’ll often chat about the use, style, and cost of electric bidets, for example. I’ve been using one for several years…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to AMX0114, an experimental therapy being developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Fast track status is designed to facilitate the development and review of treatments that have the potential to address…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track status to usnoflast, Zydus Lifesciences’ experimental oral inhibitor, for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The designation is meant to accelerate the development and review of new therapies that address unmet medical needs in serious or life-threatening conditions, and…

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics is partnering with Minaris Advanced Therapies to manufacture NurOwn (debamestrocel), its investigational cell therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), for an upcoming Phase 3b clinical trial. The companies signed a letter of intent outlining the collaboration, under which Minaris, a contract development and manufacturing…