How the TBK1 protein, the cell’s “clearing machinery,” contributes to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was the focus of a recent review study. The review, “Association Of Mutations In TBK1 With Sporadic And Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Frontotemporal Dementia,” published in the journal JAMA Neurology, was…

ALS League Belgium, a patient organization helping the families of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), raised €302,000 (euro) to stimulate and fund research into the life-threatening nerve muscle disease. Three projects have been selected for support by ALS League Belgium this year, and details will be updated…

Researchers have found neuronal progenitor cells (immature cells that can become neurons) in the meninges, a three-layer structure enclosing the brain that protects the nervous system, according to a new study. This finding may lead to the development of new stem cell therapies for brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders such as…

Recent research demonstrates that patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a higher risk of developing depression, both immediately before and after being diagnosed with ALS. While the study, “Depression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” which appeared in the journal Neurology, could not state exactly how or…

https://vimeo.com/124557753 In this heartfelt video from the ALS Association Texas chapter shared in 2015, we meet Christi. The young mother from Tyler, Texas is still coming to terms with her recent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis and wonders if she would have lived her life differently had she known…

More research studies with appropriate design and control are necessary to understand whether psychosocial interventions improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), says a new study review. The review, “Do Psychosocial Interventions Improve Quality Of Life And Wellbeing…

Muscle fibers secrete and concentrate a protein called fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) at the neuromuscular junctions, the area of contact between motor neurons and muscle fibers, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation has recognized Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada, as a Centre of Excellence for accelerating research progress through collaboration to treat diseases like those of the central nervous system, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “With an unparalleled team of scientists and clinicians, Sunnybrook…

The ALS Association is awarding a $2 million grant to the ALS ONE-Massachusetts Partnership that will partially sponsor a University of Massachusetts Medical School project led by Robert H. Brown, Jr., MD, PhD, a world-renowned specialist in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The grant will help Brown and colleagues develop two gene…

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending that ibudilast (MN-166) receives orphan medicinal product (orphan drug designation) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MediciNova is currently focusing on the development of ibudilast for neurological disorders…