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…

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…

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…

Scientists at the University of Southern California have developed a laboratory model of skeletal muscle, fabricated on a tiny chip molded in gelatin, derived from natural muscle protien. As a research platform tool, the mold holds the potential to aid studies on muscle development, degeneration and diseases. Future plans for gelatin chips include…

Herantis Pharma announced that a pipeline therapy known as cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) has been granted Orphan Drug Status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed its development and testing as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease. Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor is a neuroprotective and…

Researchers at the University of Tokyo demonstrated that the FDA-approved anti-epileptic drug perampanel is able to prevent the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and normalize the death of motor neurons in an animal model of the disease. The findings indicate the drug may be a potential candidate for ALS treatment and…

Researchers at the University of California conducted a study on the molecular and genetic characteristics of two identical female twins, one only with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and found that environmental factors may be at the root of genetic modifications that cause the disease. The discovery may be a key to prevention…

Transplanting human stem cells into the spinal cord of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be safely accomplished, according to the results of a Phase 2 clinical trial. The study, led by researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in…

Measuring copper concentration in the blood may allow for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before the onset of clinical symptoms, according to new research in mice. The study, developed by researchers at the University of Wollongong in Australia, might provide a new means for ALS diagnosis that does not require disease…

Researchers at the University of Bari in Italy, tested an electronic nose to see if it could sniff out exhaled breath composition of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from healthy controls  – with the potential of the nose someday becoming a screening and diagnostic tool for the disease. The research paper, titled “…