Depleting a protein called Staufen1 improved motor function and lowered protein aggregation in a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). The findings suggest that targeting Staufen1 could lead to therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative disorders. The study “Staufen1 links…
“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.” ―Emily Post In case we ever meet, I want to apologize in advance if I ever appear insensitive to, or unaware of, your feelings. That is…
Survival and quality of life of patients with more advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be improved significantly with the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV). But many factors can contribute to a delayed decision on when to start mechanical ventilation, as well as on the effectiveness of the…
If you’re like me and live with ongoing physical changes from ALS, you’ve probably used workarounds. What is a workaround? A workaround is a creative, temporary solution that solves an everyday problem. For example, in the real world, folks put red duct tape over a broken tail light…
A new process by which pro-death signaling is sent to nerve cells may hold the key for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is characterized by the loss of motor nerve cells, according to researchers. The study, “Retrograde degenerative signaling mediated by the p75…
A man with progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA), one of the three types of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), was unusual in developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with bulbar-onset one year later, a case study from Italy reports. The study, “A case of Progressive Non-Fluent Aphasia as onset of Amyotrophic Lateral…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tiglutik, an oral suspension of riluzole, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Rilutek (riluzole, by Sanofi) has been available in the U.S. as 50 mg tablets since December 1995. However, ALS patients can have difficulties with…
With shared goals and a special connection, PopSockets has joined The ALS Association’s Every Drop Adds Up campaign to bring individuals and organizations together to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The association cites the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge four years ago, which raised millions to support…
“You just got lesson No. 1: Don’t think; it can only hurt the ball club.” That was the advice that Kevin Costner, who portrayed baseball player “Crash” Davis, dispensed to Tim Robbins, who portrayed rookie pitcher Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, in the 1988 film “Bull Durham.” Ordinarily, I opt…
The Wadsworth Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) can help amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients who are severely disabled to communicate while in the home, a study reports, especially those in fairly stable health. Improvements underway to this system, which relies on brain signals rather than muscles necessary for speaking or writing, are…
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