Cell Recycling Study Raises Possibility of New Approach to Treating ALS

ProMIS Neurosciences Targets Misfolded Protein in ALS Research Effort

ProMIS Neurosciences announced the start of a research program to identify new therapeutic targets on neurotoxic strains of a protein, TDP43, implicated in the development of  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). TDP43 (TAR DNA-binding protein-43) is present in every cell and plays a key role in the response to oxidative stress, an…

ALS Scientists Say Older Stem Cells Will Offer More Accurate Results as They Seek Treatments

Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute who are researching methods for enhancing stem cell models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have found that “aging” the cells could improve studies for potential disease treatments. The mature cells more closely reproduce ALS pathology seen in patients, they said. The research paper, “…

Researchers Find ‘Harmful’ ALS Factor Actually Protects Neurons from Inflammation

Attempting to lower a specific protein that is higher in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), researchers discovered that the protein does not contribute to the disease as believed. Instead, it protects neurons from rampaging inflammation. The findings, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics under the title “Genetic ablation of IP3 receptor 2…

ALS Affects Visual Pathways and by Degree That May Serve as Disease Biomarker, Study Finds

Whether the damage done by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also affects visual pathways, namely the macula, is a matter of debate among scientists and physicians. Researchers at the Feinberg School of Medicine investigated this, comparing the macular structure of ALS patients and examining its correlation with pulmonary function tests, and concluded that macular…

Noninvasive Ventilation and Posture Influence Respiratory Ability in ALS Patients

Researchers who studied noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) found that respiratory muscles may work more efficiently during NIV. They also believe their measurement technique can be useful for detecting changes in breathing patterns even in early-stage ALS patients. The research paper, “Effects of non-invasive ventilation and posture…