Researchers developed a computational model able to recognize amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on patients’ speech patterns, suggesting it may one day be a non-invasive and low-cost way of evaluating disease severity and likely progression, possibly in a person’s home. The study, by scientists at IBM Thomas…
“Use it, or lose it.” That was the motivational summary statement during my first post-ALS diagnosis physical therapy (PT) session. As my condition’s horrific prognosis continued percolating in my brain, I replied, “Don’t you mean ‘use it, while you watch yourself lose it?’” There is an ongoing debate over whether…
Drinking alcohol seems to have no influence on the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a large population-based European study suggests. The study, “Association between alcohol exposure and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Euro-MOTOR study,” was…
A new optimized protocol for the use of a noninvasive ventilation technique called bi-level positive airway pressure (Bi-PAP) allows patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to live twice as long as they normally would if they received the standard protocol, according to researchers. Their findings were reported in the…
High-tech communication devices, such as eye-tracking computer systems (ETCS), improve quality of life and enable caregiver-independent interaction of severely disabled patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, technical aspects and patients’ cognitive impairment are among the factors still limiting their use. The review study titled “Communication…
Cells that normally help to repair injured muscle tissue — called fibro-adipogenic progenitors — become key players in the muscle wasting and scarring processes in neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study has found. Conducted by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP), in…
A diminished ability to regulate body temperature may be a manifestation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), results of a mice study suggest. Such a diminishment could be related to problems in controlling the naturally occurring circadian clocks that regulate tissues and organs. The circadian rhythm is an important mechanism that…
“Be intent upon the perfection of the present day.” –William Law Today I experienced an uninterrupted utopia, recognizing that utopia may be a subjective, non-absolute concept, best expressed in the eye of the beholder. Allow me to describe what l beheld. It began with an unwanted, mildly disturbing occurrence. In…
MediciNova has completed enrollment for its Phase 1/2 clinical trial testing the investigational therapy MN-166 (ibudilast) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. The trial (NCT02714036) has enrolled 35 ALS patients who will be treated with 100 mg daily doses (50 mg twice a day) of MN-166. The…
Events leading to the loss of nerve cell fibers called axons appear to take place independent of Sarm1, a molecule known to promote the death of axons in damaged nerve cells, researchers working in mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) report. Rather, the team concluded, other pro-degenerative factors — possibly…
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