People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who require noninvasive ventilation in later disease stages use significantly higher opioid doses and for more extended periods than do patients who never need mechanical ventilation, according to a new study in Japan. The opioids were started for these individuals mostly to help…
Mutations in the gene NEK1, a major genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), may work to drive the disease by destabilizing the structure of nerve fibers and disrupting the movement of molecules inside nerve cells, according to a new study. The findings, which show for the first time how…
Like many in the ALS community, I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Bryan Randall, a photographer and the partner of actor Sandra Bullock. I respected that his loved ones honored his request to keep his ALS diagnosis private throughout the course of…
Note: This story was updated Aug. 22, 2023, to correct there are four ALS approved therapies widely available in the U.S. Diarrhea associated with a common amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment could be a substantial barrier to complying with the medication, according to surveys by Napo Pharmaceuticals. While…
Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are a type of white blood cell that functions to suppress the body’s immune response and prevent unnecessary inflammation. Tregs are part of the immune system, and can also enter the brain and the spinal cord to reduce neuroinflammation. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — a…
The years since my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS have been hard for both of us, not only physically but also emotionally. I don’t think there’s a way to overcome the grief that accompanies a disease that causes ongoing loss, but we’ve found ways to live with it.
People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have a more active innate immune system — the part of the immune system that acts as a first responder to threats — tend to have faster disease progression and poorer survival, a study of large data showed. Findings suggest that measuring…
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Canada (MTP-CA) is teaming up with the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR) in Canada’s first real-world, evidence-generating study of Radicava (edaravone) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Data are expected to provide real-life insights into the survival benefits of Radicava in the progressive neurodegenerative…
Increased accumulation of p62, a protein involved in a cellular recycling process called autophagy, in the spinal cord is associated with worse survival outcomes in people with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study revealed. Autophagy is the cellular process responsible for breaking down proteins and other complex molecules…
My husband, Todd, is paralyzed because of ALS, so I transfer him from bed to wheelchair, and from wheelchair to the toilet, using a sling and overhead lift. This morning, as I moved him from his bed to the wheelchair, he told me, “My fingernail is cutting into…
