disease severity

A new amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) assessment called delta-FS — defined as the rate of decline over time in the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) — has been proposed as an attractive, easily obtainable tool to monitor disease severity and predict patient prognosis. The assessment also could be used…

A messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule that provides the instructions for a protein involved in glutamate signaling is not edited as efficiently in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients as in people without the neurological disorder, according to a new study suggesting its potential use as an ALS biomarker. Glutamate is…

NurOwn, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics’ investigational cell-based therapy, leads to meaningful disease-related biomarker changes regardless of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) severity at the start of treatment, according to data from a Phase 3 trial. Specifically, the therapy increased neuroprotection biomarker levels and anti-inflammatory molecules, and reduced those of neurodegeneration…

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…

Protocatechuic acid, a metabolite of one of the main substances that give blackberries and black rice their distinctive dark color, can extend the lifespan and reduce the progression and severity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a mouse model of the disease, a study found. The study, “…

A shift in the make-up of immune cells found in the blood of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) favors specific types of pro-inflammatory T-helper cells in detriment to anti-inflammatory regulatory T-cells, a study has found. This change in immune cells’ balance is associated with disease severity…

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with a common mutation in the interleukin 6 receptor (IL6R) gene appear likely to have more severe disease symptoms and faster progression than ALS patients without this inherited gene variant, a study reports. This mutation, its researchers reported, is found with a frequency of…

Combining structural brain imaging with molecular and clinical biomarkers allows for a detailed assessment of a patient’s clinical state, regardless of age and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression, a new study suggests. The study, “Combinatory Biomarker Use of Cortical Thickness, MUNIX, and ALSFRS-R at Baseline and in Longitudinal Courses of…

High levels of 25-hydroxycholesterol, a cholesterol-related molecule, may trigger neuronal death and accelerate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression, according to a new study. The finding could lead to new ALS therapies that target the molecule. The study, “25-Hydroxycholesterol Is Involved In The Pathogenesis Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,” was published in the…