Three prominent health institutions have recently come together to form the country’s largest coordinated and comprehensive initiative against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Last week, Johns Hopkins University’s Robert Packard Center for ALS Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Regenerative Medicine Institute and the Massachusetts General Hospital Neurological Clinical Research Institute officially launched a joint…

Johns Hopkins University researchers have announced that they will present the latest results of a study that reveals increased levels of endothelin 1 (ET-1) in astrocytes in the brain, along with increased levels of ET-B binding protein (the protein that binds to the ET-1 receptor) are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou…

A recent study indicates that a respiratory pacemaker intended to assist breathing in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may actually reduce survival in those with the neurodegenerative disorder. The study, titled “Safety and efficacy of diaphragm pacing in patients with respiratory insufficiency due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…

In a recent study entitled “Complex Inflammation mRNA-Related Response in ALS is Region Dependent” characterizes the inflammatory response in patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)” published in the journal Neural Plasticity, a research team led by Isidre Ferrer from the L’Hospitalet de Llobregat in Spain detected…

Two new studies, one entitled “GGGGCC repeat expansion in C9orf72 compromises nucleocytoplasmic transport” and another “The C9orf72 repeat expansion disrupts nucleocytoplasmic transport”, report the discovery of a key mechanism underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis’ onset which is associated with C9orf72 mutation (the most common genetic defect…

Last year the Ice Bucket Challenge made headlines across America when the Barrow Neurological Institute raised more than $500,000 through the international fundraising and advocacy initiative. Now, the organization is reporting that the funds accumulated will be used to support a new and potentially groundbreaking amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) study to determine why…

Diet has a significant influence on a person’s health status because it determines which nutrients are available for the body to function properly. Depending on the balance between diet and energy, body mass index (BMI) is also significantly influential to an individual’s health. Since the effects of diet on developing…

Portage Biotech, Inc. together with privately-held Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. has just acquired global intellectual property rights to an extensive 300-product portfolio by ALS Biopharma, LLC. These prodrugs included in the line up, most of which are classified as New Molecular Entities (NMEs), were originally designed and prepared by…

Researchers at the University of Toronto and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Canada recently reported the development of two new antibodies against a protein that plays a key role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – C9ORF72. The study was published in the journal Annals…

Researchers at Ulm University and Eberhard Karls University in Germany recently developed a new in vitro model for the study of motor neuron diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study was published in the journal Stem Cell Research and is entitled “…