People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have higher blood serum levels of neurofilament light chain (sNfL) than do healthy people, a new study found. Its work also further supported sNfL’s usefulness as a marker of likely disease progression and outcomes, with higher concentrations indicating poorer survival. The research, “…

What does smiling have to do with ALS? Or happiness, contentment, or feeling positive? These expressions of our sense of well-being are important to those of us living with ALS. According to a study of 224 ALS patients, participants who had good emotional well-being experienced a slower progression…

Measuring lung function can help to predict overall disease progression in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study suggests. “Classifying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients by Changes in Forced Vital Capacity: A Group-Based Trajectory Analysis” was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care…

Excessive energy demands to overcome gravity in nerve cells directed downward — such as those involved in the control of limb movements — may explain why amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects certain motor neurons while leaving others untouched, a study has proposed. As people age, nerve fibers disposed vertically…

Disarm Therapeutics has announced the publication of two studies that further researchers’ understanding of the structure and function of SARM1, a key protein in cellular degeneration. The new data may aid in the design of therapies for multiple diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The findings were published in…

Would it surprise you to learn that I check my cellphone zero times a day? All around me, people are texting, emailing, chatting, and checking social media. Me? Nada. My eyes are forward, watching the world. I’m embracing “the joy of missing out” — a state of mind caused by…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression is associated with higher levels of specific lipids in the spinal cord and changes in their metabolism, a study in a rat model of the disease reports. These findings may represent a defense mechanism against oxidative damage, as well as a potential treatment route for…

A newly developed robotic neck brace may improve quality of life for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and allow researchers a more detailed assessment of head and neck movements, as well as disease progression, for people with this condition. The brace was described in a pilot study, titled…

People with rapid weight loss in the earlier stages of amyotophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — before invasive ventilation is needed to support breathing — are more likely to have a poorer prognosis in its later stages than those who don’t, a study reports. The study, “Body weight variation predicts…

“What? But there’s a guarantee on your website,” I told the customer service representative for the herbal company. I had requested a refund of a digestive supplement because it didn’t work for me. He repeated his scripted line: “That product is nonreturnable because it’s consumable.” “Wow!” I couldn’t believe my…