Environmental pollutants in blood linked to ALS risk, survival

A person’s degree of exposure to multiple environmental pollutants — reflected by their presence in the blood — may be used to predict amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk and survival, according to new research. Greater exposure to these chemicals was associated with increased odds of an individual developing ALS,…

Have you ever really thought about time? What it is and what it means? When you take a deep dive into time, you’ll find there are two dominant stages: memories of the past and aspirations for the future. The present is the stage of doing, but it is divided…

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…

For Albert, being active was everything. As an avid athlete all his life, he was used to challenges, but nothing could prepare him for being diagnosed with ALS. Explore how Albert drew strength from his past.

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…