Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerves that control muscle function. The disease leads to muscle weakness, including the muscles needed for breathing. This can be very serious, with respiratory failure being the primary cause of death in ALS patients. Supporting breathing…
About four years ago, ALS impeded my speaking ability. Like more than 80 percent of all ALS patients, I now have dysarthria, or what I refer to as my “ALS voice.” It’s a slurred, slow speech pattern with a nasal tone and imprecise pronunciation of consonants. For…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the new drug application (NDA) of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals’ BHV-0223, a sublingual (dissolved under the tongue) form of riluzole, as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Biohaven has begun enrollment of ALS patients for its Phase 2/3…
The brain’s waste clearance pathway, known as the glymphatic system, could enable more efficient delivery of therapeutics into the brain for the treatment of disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and brain cancer, according to a study. The study, “Transcranial optical…
Before ALS, whenever I thought about the future, I assumed my life would continue in a state of health and happiness, filled with lots of interesting activities. But in 2010, when I learned I had ALS, thinking about my future became very dismal and frightening. My mind…
When I learned I had ALS, my whole world changed, because on that day, I officially became an ALS patient. My husband’s world changed as well because, just as suddenly, he became my caregiver. I appreciate his taking on this challenging responsibility more than he’ll ever know.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, nerve cells that control the voluntary muscles. This leads to symptoms that include overall muscle weakness, causing difficulties with moving, breathing, eating, and speaking. There is no…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a condition that is challenging to diagnose because it shares many common symptoms with other diseases. Blood tests are used to look for evidence of diseases, the symptoms of which are similar to those of ALS. They can help, therefore, to…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder that leads to the loss of nerve cells. The disease is caused by genetic mutations, but also may be caused by environmental factors such as smoking or alcohol use. Diagnosing ALS can be difficult and multiple tests usually…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disease that affects motor neurons, which are the nerve cells that control movement. Evidence of lower motor neuron degeneration is one of the El Escorial criteria for ALS diagnosis. Lower motor neurons are those that go from the spinal cord…
