ALS Celebrity Patients: Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking became known in the 1970s for his research in the field of cosmology and ever since he has continued to publish worldwide recognized studies. But one of his greatest achievements has been his fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Against all odds, the physicist is now 74 years old,…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that progressively shuts down your muscles by attacking certain cells in the brain and spinal cord needed to keep our muscles moving. Eventually, patients will lose their mobility, have trouble moving, walking, swallowing and even breathing. In this video, shared by …

A bill that would waive the five-month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — legislation supported by the ALS Association during its recent National ALS Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. — has been introduced into the U.S. Congress. Called the ALS Disability Insurance Access…

In this video from Philly Philms, watch how the evolution of technological devices are now providing a way for people with low mobility in their upper-body to be able to communicate with other people with the help of assistive technology. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)…

This year’s ALS Association-sponsored Drug Company Working Group meeting — to review recent trial results and discuss new developments in the search for ALS treatments — was held in April as part of the 68th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, the world’s largest gathering…

Persistent environmental pollutants like pesticides are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and may represent modifiable ALS disease risk factors, according to a study published online in JAMA Neurology, titled “Association of Environmental Toxins With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.” ALS is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease. Persistent exposure to…

Ammar Al-Chalabi, a professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics at King’s College London, was presented with the  Sheila Essey Award at a special session of the recent American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting dedicated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. He was selected to receive the $50,000 award by both the ALS Association…

During the Drug Company Working Group session at the recent American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada, a top researcher from Cytokinetics gave an update on a new Phase 3 study of  tirasemtiv as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and another from Biogen talked about a new trial to assess outcome measures in ALS…

The ALS Association and Prize4Life have launched a joint initiative worth $400,000, to award innovation in helping improve the lives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Assistive Technology Challenge will award the development of flexible, accessible technology for ALS patients to communicate. The importance of the challenge is explained…

Mutations in the SOD1 gene, a major copper-binding protein, are a known cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An extensive review from Keio University in Japan explores the possible role of copper homeostasis in SOD1-linked ALS, as seen in mice studies, and highlights the need for similar studies in people.