women

ALS women live longer than men despite faster functional decline

While women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) see a faster functional decline, men have shorter survival times, mostly due to more rapid weight loss and lung function worsening, a study shows. The findings highlight the importance of considering sex-specific differences when studying the mechanisms leading to ALS and when…

Cigarette smoking tied to greater risk of ALS, especially for women

Cigarette smoking, either currently or in the past, significantly increases the likelihood of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), particularly for women, according to a pooled meta-analysis of 32 studies. A risk of the neurodegenerative condition was higher in current smokers, and it increased in a non-linear manner with more…

Young Woman With ALS Creates Nonprofit for People Like Her

When Leah Stavenhagen was 27, she was living in Paris and traveling through Europe. But an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis forced her to give up her job as a consultant with Ernst & Young and dashed her dreams of continuing to work abroad. At the time, she seemed…