The Positives and Negatives of Feeding Tubes in ALS

Although there’s no cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, managing it wisely can increase survival and improve patients’ and their families’ quality of life. One tool for managing it is a feeding tube. An article in the journal Neurology covered the pluses and minuses of using the tubes in ALS. It…

A new genome wide association study (GWAS) conducted in multi-ethnic patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has demonstrated that the GPX3-TNIP1 gene locus is significantly associated with ALS. The study, “Cross-ethnic meta-analysis identifies association of the GPX3-TNIP1 locus with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in…

During my last visit to the ALS clinic, my neurologist surprised me with an invitation to be a participant in a clinical trial that she was conducting. It was open to 50 of her patients, it could be completed in our own homes, and only it required…

Research indicates that an injury pathway in fruit fly neurons might be responsible for the loss of synapses in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Findings from the University of Michigan study were published in the open-access journal eLife, titled “Restraint…

This illustrated video from Stichting ALS Nederland briefly explains the neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MORE: Could exercise help ALS patients with swallowing? It explains the progression of the disease and how it affects patients. ALS causes the brain and spinal cord to stop transmitting signals to…

While a link between neurodegenerative diseases and cancer seems unlikely, a recent study suggests that such connections might exist. Genetic analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, conducted by Japanese and Taiwanese researchers, revealed that many genes linked to ALS are also related to certain cancers. The research suggests that…

Long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of a person developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a Dutch study shows. The study, “Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Netherlands: A Population-based Case–control Study,” appeared in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Scientists say…

This video from Nature Video discusses the neurons behind amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  The narrator explains that ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that usually begins in adulthood and progresses rapidly. MORE: 16 fast facts about ALS The disease is characterized by the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons,…

In this touching video from Friends of Alan Gustafson, we see how quickly the progressive condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can change a person’s life. MORE: Four treatments that can help improve life with ALS In just a year, Alan has gone from an active father to being…

Pete Frates, the Boston man who invented the Ice Bucket Challenge that raised millions for ALS, was reported to have kicked the bucket this summer — but it turned out to be a newspaper’s goof. The erroneous report stemmed from a headline in Britain’s Sun declaring that the 32-year-old had died…