Familial ALS Study with Identical Twins Delivers Clues

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 “…

By screening nearly 250 factors in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Chinese researchers were able to identify a marker linked to disease severity. The team also found a protein that distinguished ALS from other neurological diseases which, if confirmed in larger studies, could act as a…

Activity seen in two of the brain’s resting state networks in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients may be a sign of more severe and rapidly progressing disease in a person. These networks, at work when a person is not focusing on a specific task, were investigated in the study, “Investigating Default Mode and…

An analysis of inflammatory marker levels in blood samples from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, improves patient categoration and may help design future ALS clinical trials, according to a new study. The study “Systemic inflammatory response and neuromuscular involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in the journal…

Target ALS Foundation, focused on finding new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has selected RUCDR Infinite Biologics as the biorepository for banking and distributing the foundation’s human stem cell lines to be used in industry and research. The privately funded non-profit institution, funds consortia-based collaborative projects that aim to decrease obstacles…

Researchers at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan, reviewed advances for using natural plant compounds to regulate autophagy, a process in the development of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, muscular atrophies, spinocerebellar ataxia 3, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The review “Natural compounds preventing…

A group of women in their 60s decided to go full Monty to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The idea came from lifelong friends of Wendy Rauwerdink of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who had diagnosed with the disease. Her friends became engaged in the fight, always wanting to do more.