Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis News and Research

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Occupational pesticide exposure may significantly increase ALS risk

Workplace exposure to pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) is linked to a 60-70% heightened risk of the most common form of motor neuron disease-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS for short, finds a synthesis of the available evidence, published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

4 Aug 2026

Researchers recreate imagined melodies from brain activity

In a study led by Jii Kwon and Chun Kee Chung, from Seoul National University, researchers explored whether they could recreate melodies from the brain activity of people imagining how songs continue after listening to a few bars.

3 Aug 2026

ALS risk varies significantly across U.S. military service branches

Compared to Army veterans, men who are veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard have higher rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and men who are Marine veterans have lower rates, according to a new study published July 29, 2026, in Neurology®, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Jul 2026

Photoreceptors possess internal recycling system to preserve vision

For decades, scientists believed that photoreceptors in the retina relied primarily on neighboring support cells, known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), to remove waste. While the RPE is still responsible for clearing away the worn-out tips of photoreceptors each day, new findings from the University of Oklahoma reveal that photoreceptors also perform much of their own internal housekeeping.

29 Jul 2026

New blood protein biomarkers estimate timing of ALS symptoms

Months to several years before amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms arise, levels of certain blood proteins may dramatically shift.

27 Jul 2026

Walking protein structure explains how cells activate molecular motors

A nerve cell resembles a vast tree with branches that communicate with thousands of other cells. To function, it depends on a motor protein that walks on two legs, hauling urgent cargo from the center of the cell to the faraway tips of every branch.

15 Jul 2026

Advancing Motor Neuron Disease Diagnosis with Non-Invasive Ultrasound and AI

Research led by Professor Hodson-Tole combines ultrasound and AI to improve motor neuron disease diagnosis, reducing reliance on invasive procedures.

6 Jul 2026

Experimental drug shields nerve cells from damage caused by ALS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, received widespread awareness in the summer of 2014 thanks to an Ice Bucket Challenge. Millions of people participated in the challenge, drenching themselves in ice cold water to bring visibility to this devastating neurodegenerative disease and generate charitable donations for research.

3 Jul 2026

New viral model triggers Parkinson's symptoms without using toxins

Scientists usually use animal models when studying Parkinson's disease because these models mimic the disease well.

29 Jun 2026

Discovery of karyoptosis opens new therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia

Markers of a new mechanism for cell death, called karyoptosis, have been found in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

25 Jun 2026

Genetic testing could sharply increase demand for ALS specialist care

The availability of genetic testing for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for people with a family member diagnosed with the disease is expected to greatly increase the number of clinic visits to specialized ALS centers over the next decade, according to a study published June 24, 2026, in Neurology Genetics, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Jun 2026

U-M Health neurosurgeons complete first human implant of wireless brain computer interface

Neurosurgeons at University of Michigan Health completed the first-in-human implant of a Paradromics Inc., wireless brain-computer interface, or BCI, as part of a national clinical trial for patients with difficulty speaking.

17 Jun 2026

Blood proteins reveal which aging cells may raise disease risk

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16 Jun 2026

Blood-based indicator assesses organ age to predict disease risk

The candles on your birthday cake don't tell the whole story. As anyone who ever attended a high-school reunion can tell you, some people age faster than others.

15 Jun 2026

Brain injury survivors face higher risk of brain cancer death

Daniel Daneshvar, MD, PhD, director of the HealthSpan Lab and Chief of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham, and Charlotte Luster, of the HealthSpan Lab, are the senior and lead authors of a paper published in Neuroepidemiology, "Brain Cancer Mortality following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI Model Systems Study."

10 Jun 2026

Allen Institute launches global research initiative to accelerate new treatments for brain disorders

The Allen Institute, together with partner organizations, today launched the Brain Health accelerator: an ambitious global research initiative seeking to identify the specific brain cells and circuits affected in neurodegenerative disease and other brain disorders and use that knowledge to accelerate the development of new treatments.

2 Jun 2026

Rice and Baylor join BrainGate to develop brain-computer interfaces for people with paralysis

When a person loses a limb, a prosthesis often can help restore a significant degree of mobility. But when movement or communication is impaired by a neurological condition such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury or stroke, there are, as of yet, very few options for the affected individual.

28 May 2026

New insights into ALS progression through glial cell behavior

All the core facilities of the Cibio Department of the University of Trento are involved in a study on ALS, co-funded by Fondazione AriSla, national organizations and various donors, to better understand the molecular mechanisms of slow-progressing cases.

5 May 2026

Scientists discover a potential new way to slow ALS disease progression

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes the progressive loss of motor neurons, which in most cases leads to respiratory failure within three to five years after diagnosis.

30 Apr 2026

Scientists seek to reverse neurodegeneration by eliminating harmful RNA pollution

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the Salk Institute and Sanford Burnham Prebys have received a four-year, $13 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to investigate how to reverse age-related neurodegeneration by eliminating what the researchers call "RNA pollution" in aging neurons.

27 Apr 2026