familial ALS

German researchers have identified a new gene — called NEK1 — that appears to be responsible for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Loss of function mutations in the gene were more common in ALS patients than in healthy controls, according to findings published in the journal Brain. Familial ALS…

The first transgenic mouse model for the most common type of the familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) has been developed by Cedars-Sinai scientists. Their research paper, titled “C9orf72 BAC Transgenic Mice Display Typical Pathologic Features of ALS/FTD,” was published in…

A recent paper from French researchers questions one of the primary ideas about what causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and proposes that over-active nervous system cells are not a primary cause of the neurodegenerative disease. The paper, titled “Is hyperexcitability really guilty in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?” appeared…

Israeli researchers may have found that a protein related to Alzheimer’s disease can also run amuck in amylotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The report, titled “Mutant SOD1 Increases APP Expression and Phosphorylation in Cellular and Animal Models of ALS” appeared November 24th in PLoS One. In…

A recent study from researchers in Canada and Japan describes a new possible target for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The paper, titled “Ubiquilin-2 drives NF-κB activity and cytosolic TDP-43 aggregation in neuronal cells,” appeared on Oct. 31 in the journal Molecular Brain.

It has already been a year since the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the internet by storm, causing countless American households, celebrities and public figures to show support for ongoing efforts to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In the wake of the viral campaign, a team of scientists…

Dr. Nancy Bonini A recent editorial published in the journal Neurology highlights the existing scope of clinical knowledge concerning genetic susceptibility that makes individuals prone to developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The editorial content was based on a thorough…

A new study on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), entitled, “ATXN2 polyQ intermediate repeats are a modifier of ALS survival” published in Neurology by Dr. A. Chiò from the ALS Center, Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino in Italy, evaluated the rate of…

The ALS Association announced that $326,662 will be used to fund new Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research. The new funding will seek to expand ongoing research projects to increase the knowledge of the most frequent genetic cause of the disease and support clinical trials dedicated to those that carry…

According to a July 2014 report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease is estimated to affect about 3.9 individuals for every 100,000 Americans, most commonly diagnosed in the elderly who are in their 70s. While the cause…