https://vimeo.com/124556645 In this video from the ALS Association Texas chapter shared in 2015, we meet Steve. A recently retired chaplain for the federal prison system from Fort Worth, Texas, Steve is about to get married to his longtime sweetheart, Anna. Meet pastor Kevin Kinchen, who hasn’t let his ALS…

A woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who had lost nearly all capacity to communicate, is now able to successfully interact with her surroundings using a brain-computer interface implant, according to a recent article in New Scientist magazine. The device is thought to be the first used in a patient’s daily life, without the need…

Researchers in China recently evaluated the changes of ferritin levels in the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They found that ALS patients exhibited significantly increased levels of ferritin, an iron-based protein, a result that indicates ferritin has value as a biomarker and could be used for…

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, in collaboration with several U.S. institutions, suggest that the collapse of the mitochondria‐associated membranes (MAM) is linked to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mitochondria‐associated membranes regulate calcium levels, mitochondrial function, and cell death in the body, and have been linked to neurodegenerative…

Incorporating music therapy into standard treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients may improve the patient’s quality of life, according to new research. The study, “Active Music Therapy Approach In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized-Controlled Trial,” was published in the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. “[T]he sonorous-music and…

https://vimeo.com/124559355 In this video from the ALS Association Texas chapter shared in 2015, we meet the talented young artist, Alexis. Alexis has loved drawing since she was a child, but the progression of her amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) condition has meant that she can now no longer draw with paper and pencils. However, she…

Researchers have identified several new variants in genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), many in patients with no history of the disease in their family. The study, “Rare Variants In Neurodegeneration Associated Genes Revealed By Targeted Panel Sequencing In A German ALS Cohort,” was published in the journal Frontiers…

Mutations in a gene called SOD1 lead to the development of cellular anomalies associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study using animal models of the disease. Such anomalies included deficient regulation of amino acid levels, which are crucial for protein production and cell activity, but could…

Repeated head injury can cause brain inflammation that triggers the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a condition that has been linked to several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy,” was published in the…

A report in the journal Experimental Neurobiology reviewed the role of astrocytes (cells that support and protect neurons) and microglia (immune system cells in the brain) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The authors, from the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; the Department of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine;…