A brain-computer interface allowed Casey Harrell, a 45-year-old man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) whose disease had made it nearly impossible to speak, to communicate through a computer that used his own voice. Harrell’s experience in the ongoing pilot BrainGate2 clinical trial (NCT00912041) was described in the study,…
Brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to communicate
I’m writing this column while gazing out over a foggy Pacific Ocean, aboard a ship that’s taking a group of us from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to the icy waters of Glacier Bay, Alaska, and back. Intermittently on this voyage, pods of porpoises come racing close by the ship, and…
A researcher at Penn State University has received a $250,000 grant for an innovative project that seeks to identify and develop small molecules with the potential to protect nerve cells in neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The grant was awarded by the nonprofit Critical Path Institute…
A month ago, one of my husband’s nighttime caregivers gave notice that she won’t be able to work beyond the summer, and our search for her replacement began. I asked Todd’s other caregivers to spread the word, I posted on my Facebook page about it, and Todd reached out to…
Both beneficial and neurotoxic forms of the mineral selenium were increased in people with SOD1-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after six months of treatment with Qalsody (tofersen), a report shows. The elevations, which have been linked to ALS previously, could reflect a change in the antioxidant status of…
Changes in how the SOD1 protein associates with metal molecules seem to be key for how mutations affecting this protein drive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study using a novel imaging technique. Findings represent “a very early step towards” new ALS treatments, while also showing “an exciting…
Those crazy, runaway thoughts. When I was young, I used to have them all the time. That’s because I didn’t know the whole story about certain things, so my mind would invent the answers. While growing up, I learned the value of having all the facts, and my crazy…
Estimates from the World Health Organization suggest 1 in 4 people are likely to be diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition. By 2040, these diseases may become the second leading cause of death in developed countries. The nonprofit group I AM ALS has launched the Cures…
One year of treatment with the experimental oral therapy PrimeC led to improved iron accumulation in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new clinical trial data announced by PrimeC’s developer, Neurosense Therapeutics. Previous results showed that people who received PrimeC for one year experienced significantly slower…
Clene will soon meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the potential pathway to accelerated approval for CNM-Au8, the company’s experimental therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ahead of the meeting, the company has submitted new data to the agency, including the…
Recent Posts
- Feeding wildlife reminded me what’s important in life after ALS
- Inflammatory bacterial sugar in gut may drive ALS risk: Study
- A dream takes me back to a time before life with ALS
- ALS ONE joining ALS Network to strengthen research, services
- Rollator revamp needed because design matters for living well with ALS