Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis News and Research

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New orthotic device could aid in rehabilitation of patients with ankle-foot disorders

A soft, wearable device that mimics the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the lower leg could aid in the rehabilitation of patients with ankle-foot disorders such as drop foot, said Yong-Lae Park, an assistant professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon University.

22 Jan 2014

Researcher finds possible way to unravel misfolded proteins by reprogramming yeast protein

At the heart of brain diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease is protein misfolding, in which distorted proteins are unable to perform their normal functions. At present, there is no known way to reverse protein misfolding.

17 Jan 2014

Plasma thermogram can serve as an indicator of cervical cancer

Researchers at the University of Louisville have confirmed that using the heat profile from a person's blood, called a plasma thermogram, can serve as an indicator for the presence or absence of cervical cancer, including the stage of cancer.

8 Jan 2014

Numotion partners with The ALS Association to support individuals affected by Lou Gehrig's Disease

Numotion, the complex wheelchair company committed to serving the lifelong needs of people through individualized health and mobility solutions, has partnered with The ALS Association to offer support and enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

3 Jan 2014

MAPT gene is associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population

A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) gene was significantly associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis.

30 Dec 2013

LSDF announces research and development grants to commercialize health-related technologies

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced $1.1 million in five Proof of Concept grants to Washington for-profit and non-profit organizations to foster the translation of health-related products from the laboratory into the commercial marketplace.

19 Dec 2013

Measuring changes in certain proteins may better predict the progression of ALS

Measuring changes in certain proteins -- called biomarkers -- in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may better predict the progression of the disease, according to scientists at Penn State College of Medicine.

17 Dec 2013

Research findings point to possible new strategy for treating ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a devastating illness that gradually robs sufferers of muscle strength and eventually causes a lethal, full-body paralysis. The only drug available to treat the disease extends life spans by a meager three months on average.

17 Dec 2013

Tackling orphan diseases: an interview with Damian Marron, CEO, TxCell

The exact definition of orphan diseases varies depending on where you are in the world. In the EU it's defined as a prevalence of less than 1 in 2,000, which equates to about 250,000 patients across the EU.

4 Dec 2013

Principal investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital elected as AAAS Fellows

Brian K. Kaspar, PhD, and Veronica J. Vieland, PhD, principal investigators in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

26 Nov 2013

Longer looks: Parents' crusade on rare diseases; fighting obesity; experts' view of alternative medicine

In the beginning, Chris Hempel noticed the clumsiness. Her girls tripped over toys on the floor. Their grandfather said he couldn't teach them to pedal their tricycles. … The Hempels learned of people who called themselves citizen-scientists. Many shared research papers and their day-to-day experience. Some talked of their willingness to try any promising drug. Others sought a role as equal partners with researchers. Scientists, while sympathetic, generally believe their work should be left to experts. Families are encouraged to raise money if they want to help, but the traditional view is that amateurs can't shape research or find cures. The Hempels found a maddening gap between the search for scientific knowledge and the search for treatments (Amy Docker Marcus, 11/2013).

22 Nov 2013

Rugby star partners with researchers to tackle motor neurone disease

A World Cup winning rugby star is joining forces with leading researchers in a new partnership to tackle motor neurone disease (MND).

15 Nov 2013

Complete Care program improves outcomes for Kaiser Permanente patients

Complete Care, a collaborative approach to meeting patient needs, is improving outcomes for Kaiser Permanente patients.

23 Oct 2013

Study reveals that glial cells are integral to brain function

New research by scientists at UC San Francisco shows that one of the brain's fundamental self-protection mechanisms depends on coordinated, finely calibrated teamwork among neurons and non-neural cells knows as glial cells, which until fairly recently were thought to be mere support cells for neurons.

23 Oct 2013

Diaphragm pacing systems improve quality of life for ALS patients

Respiratory failure is one of the major complications associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The quest for alternative approaches for treating respiratory failure has led to the study, and subsequent FDA approval, of diaphragm pacing for use in ALS patients. However, there are still important unanswered questions about its benefit and impact.

18 Oct 2013

NIH selects Salk scientist for EUREKA grant

The National Institutes of Health has selected Axel Nimmerjahn for a highly competitive EUREKA (Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) grant. Dr. Nimmerjahn is an Assistant Professor in the Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center and holds the Richard Allan Barry Developmental Chair.

13 Oct 2013

FDA approves Phase II trial to study effect of injected stem cells in ALS patients

Two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have received stem cell injections to their spinal cords at the University of Michigan Health System - the first two to receive the experimental injections in Michigan as part of a national clinical trial.

10 Oct 2013

Three Penn Medicine researchers awarded grants for neuromuscular disease research

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has awarded research grants totaling over $1,000,000 to three Penn Medicine researchers: James Shorter, PhD, associate professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Hansell Stedman, MD, associate professor of Surgery; and Lee Sweeney, PhD, director of the Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy.

9 Oct 2013

Quintiles and MDA partner to develop U.S. Neuromuscular Disease Registry

Quintiles and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced a new partnership to develop and implement the U.S. Neuromuscular Disease Registry, a patient registry that will play an important role in determining effective treatments for people with muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases.