Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) News and Research

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New diagnostic code brings recognition and support for Gulf War Illness

Gulf War illness (GWI), the chronic, debilitating condition linked to military service in the 1990-1991 Gulf War, will receive a dedicated diagnostic code in the October 2025 release of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-CM).

11 Sep 2025

Single hair strand reveals elemental patterns linked to ALS

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have shown for the first time that a single strand of hair can reveal unique elemental patterns that distinguish people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from healthy individuals.

4 Sep 2025

Hemoglobin emerges as a natural antioxidant defense in the brain

Did you know the same protein that gives blood its red color and carries oxygen throughout the body is also present inside brain cells? Hemoglobin, long celebrated for ferrying oxygen in red blood cells, has now been revealed to play an overlooked - and potentially game-changing - antioxidant role in the brain.

22 Aug 2025

Researchers gain better understanding of how nerve cells can be protected against ALS

By analyzing millions of messenger RNA molecules (mRNA) during the course of ALS, researchers at Stockholm University, in collaboration with scientists at the Paris Brain Institute and Örebro University, have identified why certain nerve cells are resistant to the disease and what happens in the sensitive nerve cells when they are affected.

19 Aug 2025

Scientists decode inner speech from brain activity with high accuracy

Scientists have pinpointed brain activity related to inner speech-the silent monologue in people's heads-and successfully decoded it on command with up to 74% accuracy.

14 Aug 2025

Leading organizations announce research initiative to uncover why ALS affects high-performing populations

Answer ALS, in collaboration with ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and Augie's Quest, today announced plans to launch Champion Insights, an ambitious research initiative designed to uncover critical genetic and metabolic mechanisms that may explain the significantly higher incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among endurance athletes, military service members, and potentially other high-performing populations.

13 Aug 2025

New discovery in spinal cord neurons offers hope for breathing recovery

Today about 300,000 people nationally living with a spinal cord injury and with respiratory complications being the most common cause of illness and death, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

13 Aug 2025

Breakthrough study reveals potential treatment path for ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is an incurable neurological disorder affecting motor neurons-nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing.

5 Aug 2025

New research identifies critical gene for ALS treatment

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - which you may know as the disease that affected Stephen Hawking - is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. A research team at Tohoku University and Keio University has uncovered a unifying mechanism in ALS revolving around the expression of UNC13A (a gene crucial for neuronal communication) that represents a common target for developing effective treatment strategies that could improve the lives of patients with ALS.

26 Jul 2025

APOE ε4 variant reveals hidden risk factors beyond Alzheimer’s

Researchers discovered that people carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant share a unique immune-related protein signature across their blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid—regardless of neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. This signature reveals a fundamental, disease-independent vulnerability linked to APOE ε4, reframing our understanding of genetic risk in conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, ALS, and FTD.

21 Jul 2025

New UAB-developed gene therapy for ALS receives orphan drug designation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to a new gene therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) developed at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and licensed to the U.S. company Klotho Neurosciences, Inc.

15 Jul 2025

Improving RNA drug delivery through intracellular traffic control

A recent study involving researchers from the University of Basel reveals that slowing down the intracellular transport of RNA-based drugs can significantly enhance their effectiveness.

1 Jul 2025

Uppsala researchers create 3D-printed human nerve tissue model

With the aid of a 3D printer, researchers at Uppsala University have succeeded in creating a model that resembles human nerve tissue.

18 Jun 2025

Global differences shape how doctors approach ALS ventilation decisions

A new study reveals striking international differences in how doctors approach the sensitive issue of tracheostomy invasive ventilation (TIV) for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

12 Jun 2025

Brain interface restores real-time speech for man with ALS

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed an investigational brain-computer interface that holds promise for restoring the voices of people who have lost the ability to speak due to neurological conditions.

11 Jun 2025

Using causal machine learning to identify potential ALS treatments

Potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases may already be out there in the form of drugs prescribed for other conditions.

10 Jun 2025

Scientists identify genetic clues linking air pollution to neurodegeneration

This review highlights how air pollution and occupational inhalation exposures may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders by triggering epigenetic changes. The authors stress the urgent need for advanced research to identify early biomarkers and guide protective health strategies for high-risk populations.

6 Jun 2025

Alzheimer's gene therapy could help protect the brain from damage and preserve cognitive function

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease that could help protect the brain from damage and preserve cognitive function.

5 Jun 2025

UC Irvine researchers uncover altered RNA processing in ALS

UC Irvine researchers conducted a study to better understand the molecular basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder in which patients lose the ability to move, becoming weak and wheelchair bound before dying because they can no longer breathe.

3 Jun 2025

Molecular stress makes old neurons vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases

As the global population ages, the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) continues to rise. But the molecular mechanisms behind the deterioration of brain cells have remained elusive.

2 Jun 2025