Some sporadic ALS patients have mutation causing other diseases

Some sporadic ALS patients have mutation causing other diseases

A sizable portion of people with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) carry a genetic mutation known to cause other neurological disorders, a new study shows. “This suggests shared risk factors among these diseases, shared mechanisms that cause nerves to die – and perhaps shared therapeutic strategies in the future,”…

Why last week was special in the ALS community

I love inspirational quotes and sayings. Throughout my life, I’ve stumbled upon passages from books or snippets of speeches from public figures and recognized them as a helpful way for me to understand or think about a current challenge in life. In some cases, they’ve served as mantras — easy…

To families affected by ALS, Hope Loves Company offers hope, support

Jodi O’Donnell-Ames founded Hope Loves Company after losing her husband to ALS. (Courtesy of Jodi O’Donnell-Ames) This is Jodi O’Donnell-Ames’ story: The term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was not a part of my vocabulary until May 1995. That’s when my husband, Kevin O’Donnell, was diagnosed with…

ATH-1105 prolongs survival in mouse model of ALS

ATH-1105, a treatment candidate by Athira Pharma, significantly prolonged survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a company update. Consistent with previous analyses, the treatment also reduced neurodegeneration, inflammation, and the toxic buildup of the TDP-43 protein in nerve cells, which resulted…

Improving ALS, FTD research is aim of digital tool grant program

The ALS Association and the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) have opened a global grant program to accelerate the development of digital assessment tools for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a related condition. The Digital Assessment Tools for FTD and ALS Awards, backed…