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Psychiatric medications linked to increased ALS risk, worse outcomes
People prescribed common psychiatric medications had a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and saw worse outcomes after a diagnosis, with shorter survival and faster functional decline, a study in Sweden finds. Taking anxiolytics for anxiety, hypnotics or sedatives to help sleep or induce calm, or antidepressants…
Dazucorilant significantly extends survival in Phase 2 ALS trial
Dazucorilant, an oral cortisol modulator being developed by Corcept Therapeutics, significantly improved survival among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Despite it failing to slow disease progression, the trial’s main goal, Corcept is now seeking guidance from U.S. and European regulators to determine…
Brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to talk in real time
An investigational brain-computer interface has allowed a man diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to speak in real time, and sing simple melodies, a new study reports. The system can detect the sounds a person intends to produce instead of their intended words, and this allowed the man…
What I can’t accept about ALS, despite years of processing it
It was seven years ago this summer that I unwittingly and unwillingly became a part of the ALS community when my late husband, Jeff, began exhibiting foot drop and slurred speech, symptoms that were worrisome enough for us to seek medical answers. His relatively quick diagnosis of ALS that…
Bipartisan congressional effort calls for increased ALS research funding
A bipartisan team of U.S. congressional legislators is calling for increased funding to support research seeking to better understand and develop new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat representing a district in Colorado, authored a letter to various congressional committees that has been signed…
Finding comfort in AI: Using ChatGPT to cope with ALS grief
Someone in an online caregiver support group posted that they were finding value in using ChatGPT as a therapist. Other caregivers chimed in, saying they also turn to the artificial intelligence chatbot for support and find it surprisingly helpful. One person suggested prompting it to “respond like a counselor” or…
From Tokyo to Tucson: How electric bidets help me live better with ALS
Toilets aren’t one of the topics that come up in most conversations, but for those of us living with ALS, it’s fairly common and not at all embarrassing. We’ll often chat about the use, style, and cost of electric bidets, for example. I’ve been using one for several years…
Ask the expert: Al Freedman on social isolation and ALS
Al Freedman, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in rare disease communities, discusses how to manage social isolation while living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He shares his background as a father to his late son Jack, who had spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and how his role as a caregiver has…
AMX0114 receives FDA fast track status for the treatment of ALS
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to AMX0114, an experimental therapy being developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Fast track status is designed to facilitate the development and review of treatments that have the potential to address…