depression

Anxiety is common among people newly diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their family members, a small study from Sweden reports. However, symptoms of anxiety tended to ease about six or so months later for patients, while they continued to affect relatives, many who are caregivers, two years…

When our kids started school this fall, I had a sense of relief that my husband, Todd, made it to see our youngest begin middle school. He’s now at the same school campus as our 15-year-old daughter. I’m glad we’re dealing with a school transition while Todd is still with…

Last week, I went to the doctor to get a problem with my ear checked out. The medical assistant went through a list of screening questions. The last was, “Are you depressed?” Tears welled up in my eyes. “Yeah, I’m depressed. My husband is terminally ill.” “I’m sorry,” she said.

Military veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are nearly four times as likely to commit suicide as vets without the progressive neurological disease, according to a recent study. This finding suggests that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) should increase their suicide prevention efforts among veterans with ALS. The study, “…

A machine learning algorithm has shown that depression and a perceived lower quality of life are significant predictors of high caregiver burden among those who care for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study has found. The study, “Prediction of caregiver burden in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:…

Treatment with oral reldesemtiv appears to slow the deterioration of function — including breathing capacity and muscle strength — in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, regardless of whether or not they were taking additional medications such as Radicava (edaravone) or Rilutek (riluzole), a new…

Higher levels of apathy — particularly its behavioral symptoms — in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are associated with a degree of greater burden for caregivers, according to a new study. The research, “The burden of apathy for caregivers of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,”…

People affected by depression before being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairments at later stages of the disease, a study says. The findings of the study, “Depression and risk of cognitive dysfunctions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” were…

In addition to symptoms of depression, disease progression is one of the strongest influences on health-related quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, a study reports. According to the study, titled Disease progression impacts health-related quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” slower disease progression is linked to…

Difficulty in recognizing emotions may be a sign of changes in the frontal lobe of the brain and associated behavioral symptoms in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study with that finding, “Deficits in Emotion Recognition as Markers of Frontal Behavioral Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,”…