Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis News and Research

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Frequent exposure to diesel exhaust increases risk of ALS

People who are frequently exposed to diesel exhaust while on the job may have a higher risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and that risk may increase with greater exposure, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

28 Feb 2018

Researchers discover key inner control mechanism of cell's 'smart glue'

Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that a protein critical to a process called liquid-liquid phase separation within the cell undergoes internal changes in conformation that are key to its function.

26 Feb 2018

Study finds novel therapeutic strategy that preserves neuromuscular synapses in ALS mouse model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, causes lethal respiratory paralysis within several years of diagnosis. There are no effective treatments to slow or halt this devastating disease.

21 Feb 2018

USC scientists uncover cellular mechanism responsible for ALS and frontotemporal dementia

Scientists have for the first time discovered a mechanism that limits the number of "cellular janitors" in the nervous system, leading to increased risk for two neurodegenerative diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, according to a Keck School of Medicine of USC study published today in Nature Medicine.

7 Feb 2018

Researchers use innovative method to screen kinases for cancer drug's effectiveness

In recent years, a powerful suite of drugs known as kinase inhibitors have been developed to treat cancer and other diseases. Primary targets of such drugs include a family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which protrude from cell surfaces like antennae and can activate cancer-related pathways in virtually all types of cancer when signaling molecules bind with them.

5 Feb 2018

Researchers discover gene network that regulates the motor neuron development in growing embryo

UCLA researchers have discovered the inner workings of a gene network that regulates the development of spinal motor neurons in the growing chicken and mouse embryo.

2 Feb 2018

Study finds low muscle strength as early risk factor for ALS

Low muscle strength during the later teen years has been identified as a risk factor for much later onset of the neurological disease known as ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A study at Sahlgrenska Academy published in the Journal of Neurology also links low blood counts at a young age to ALS.

2 Feb 2018

Researchers describe atom-by-atom changes in ALS-linked protein

For the first time, researchers have described atom-by-atom changes in a family of proteins linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a group of brain disorders known as frontotemporal dementia and degenerative diseases of muscle and bone.

19 Jan 2018

Home care agencies often wrongly deny Medicare help to the chronically ill

Colin Campbell needs help dressing, bathing and moving between his bed and his wheelchair. He has a feeding tube because his partially paralyzed tongue makes swallowing "almost impossible," he said.

18 Jan 2018

Researchers develop drug that supports cellular traffic jam theory in ALS/FTD

Neurodegeneration in ALS/FTD may be caused by TDP-43 aggregation in the cytoplasm, causing cellular traffic jams. The trial drug can sequester TDP-43.

9 Jan 2018

Sangamo and Pfizer partner for development of new zinc finger protein gene therapy to treat ALS

Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. and Pfizer Inc. today announced a collaboration for the development of a potential gene therapy using zinc finger protein transcription factors (ZFP-TFs) to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) linked to mutations of the C9ORF72 gene.

8 Jan 2018

Reverberations from war complicate Vietnam veterans’ end-of-life care

Many of Ron Fleming's fellow soldiers have spent the past five decades trying to forget what they saw — and did — in Vietnam.

4 Jan 2018

Sickle cell patients, families and doctors face a ‘fight for everything’

The day before his 30th birthday, Marqus Valentine was in a panic. "I was so scared for midnight to come rolling around because subconsciously I was like, 'This is it. Tomorrow’s my last day on Earth,'" he said.

27 Dec 2017

Scientists provide detailed insight into molecular mechanisms of ALS

Scientists have revealed more details of the molecular mechanism behind neuronal cell death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a step forward to find ways to control progression of the disease.

26 Dec 2017

Experts highlight need to better address neurosexuality care for patients with neurodisabilities

For people with brain disorders, whether from injury or disease, rehabilitation is a complex process. Neurosexuality is an emerging area of study and practice that focuses on the relationships between brain and sexual function in individuals with and without neurological disorders.

21 Dec 2017

Research brings scientists one step closer to understanding development of ALS

University of Michigan-led research brings scientists one step closer to understanding the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS.

8 Dec 2017

Researcher discovers enzyme pathway involved in ALS pathogenesis

It is estimated that between 14,000 and 15,000 Americans have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may be subtle at first but develop into more obvious muscle weakness and paralysis.

5 Dec 2017

Combining EEG and MRI could expand ways of understanding ALS

Our brains function by electrical and chemical signaling. Recording brain wave patterns can be very helpful in conditions like epilepsy, but the potential of this inexpensive and easily applied technology has not been fully recognized.

28 Nov 2017

New study shows how SNO reaction may contribute to Parkinson's disease

A new study from The Scripps Research Institute is the first to show precisely how a process in nerve cells called the S-nitrosylation (SNO) reaction- which can be caused by aging, pesticides and pollution- may contribute to Parkinson's disease.

22 Nov 2017

Scientists develop novel mouse model to capture pathology of sporadic ALS and FTD

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration and death of nerve cells, which leads to problems with movement or mental functioning. Examples include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

13 Nov 2017