The genetic activity of certain brain cells, namely excitatory neurons and astrocytes, is altered in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the C9ORF72 gene, a study reports. The data reveal the distinct molecular mechanisms that may lead to disease progression in people with such mutations, which…
One morning last week, I turned on my phone, but it powered down almost right away. I turned it back on and checked the battery. It was at 0% after being plugged in all night. I just had the battery replaced the previous week, and now the phone wouldn’t charge…
Is it feasible to remotely collect health data from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)? And would doing so help in gauging disease progression among patients? That’s what a remote observational study called ALS Go-Digital is now trying to assess. If validated, the approach could pave the way to…
This content is sponsored by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. (MTPA) and is intended for U.S. audiences only. Any other present or future content posted by the contributor, not expressly designated as “Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc.-sponsored content” is not associated with MTPA. Albert is an actual patient who is…
Rapamycin, an approved medication used to prevent organ rejection after a kidney transplant, didn’t increase the number of regulatory T-cells in adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who are taking part in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Along with not meeting its primary goal, RAP-ALS (NCT03359538) also…
Being told I had ALS felt as if a rug had suddenly been pulled out from under me. My world changed all at once, with no possibility of turning it back. That happened in 2010, and it was certainly a major curveball in my life. But I’ve been living…
Pregnancy can worsen the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regardless of whether symptom onset occurs before or during pregnancy, according to a review study. Still, most of the cases reviewed showed that ALS did not affect a woman’s ability to give birth, naturally or by cesarean section, or…
People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) report significant changes in lifestyle after their diagnosis, but still have an acceptable quality of life and low stress levels, according to a survey conducted across nine European countries. When asked about new drug development, participants most commonly prioritized treatments that slow…
This past Sunday dawned crisp and cool on the eastern shore of Maryland, with a hint of light rain falling from a few clouds dappled against an otherwise vivid blue sky. I dressed to be outdoors, making sure my orange Tim Lowrey Panel T-shirt was visible under my jacket,…
A man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was able to control external devices — lighting and a TV — with only his thoughts using a brain-computer interface (BCI) device, according to a recent study. Called Cortical Communication (CortiCom), the BCI system learns to predict a person’s intended action by…
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