September 13, 2010
DNA variants
Variant sequences of DNA within a small region of chromosome 9 have been found to be associated with sporadic ALS (ALS without a family history) in a study that compared samples from
September 09, 2010
Update (Jan. 23, 2013): As of early 2013, MDA's DMD Clinical Research Network includes these five sites: University of California, Davis (UC Davis); Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Fla.;
September 07, 2010
Luring away myostatin, and possibly other proteins that inhibit muscle growth, using a gene for a "decoy receptor" increased muscle size and strength in mice with a muscle disease resembling human
August 30, 2010
Reducing testosterone levels in a large-scale trial in men with spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA, or Kennedy disease) did not significantly affect swallowing function, despite earlier
August 27, 2010
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $7 million to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and designated the institution a Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative
August 27, 2010
A study to determine the early features of late-onset Pompe disease (acid maltase deficiency) is seeking 250 adults who have a clinical diagnosis of unclassified limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD
August 27, 2010
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Mutations in the gene for the FUS protein, recently identified as a cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), have been found to cause the FUS protein to
August 27, 2010
Biogen Idec and Knopp Neurosciences announced Aug. 18, 2010, that they have entered into an agreement to continue developing KNS-760704 (dexpramipexole) as an experimental treatment for ALS. The drug
August 25, 2010
Scientists working in the United States and Germany have uncovered what appears to be the most common genetic contributor to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis so far identified.
The genetic factor is a
August 20, 2010
Amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Biogen Idec and Knopp Neurosciences announced Aug. 18, 2010, that they have entered into an agreement to continue developing KNS-760704 (dexpramipexole) as an
August 19, 2010
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) requires the presence of not one but two genetic changes, both on chromosome 4, before it causes its characteristic symptoms — weakness starting in the
August 18, 2010
A new study has claimed professional athletes who have sustained repeated head injuries and developed what's known as "chronic traumatic encephalopathy" (CTE) may also be at higher-than-average risk
August 17, 2010
MDA has awarded 10 grants totaling nearly $3.5 million to fund research projects focused on uncovering the causes of, and developing therapies for, ALS.
The new grants went to investigators at labs
August 17, 2010
MDA has awarded 38 new research grants totaling more than $14 million and covering more than a dozen neuromuscular diseases.
MDA's Board of Directors met in Los Angeles July 16, where it reviewed
August 13, 2010
Mutations in the gene for a protein called FUS may be a more widely distributed cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) than previously recognized, according to three separate reports, all
August 12, 2010
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Acceleron Pharma announced Aug. 4 that it has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its experimental compound ACE031 for the
August 11, 2010
Elevated levels of an immune-system protein called interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-beta) exacerbates a disease in mice that closely resembles human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and blocking this
August 06, 2010
August is National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month, and research in this disease has never been more promising.
Major themes in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) research include increasing
August 04, 2010
At least some of the mutations in the TDP43 protein that are known to lead to ALS cause the TDP43 protein to be more stable than usual and change its interactions with other cellular proteins, say
August 02, 2010
The ALS Therapy Development Institute’s second-quarter Research Update discussed new thinking about how ALS develops and progresses, and described progress in testing nearly 30 compounds targeting
July 26, 2010
More than 400 people who recently received an ALS diagnosis are being sought for a large study of a cell-damaging phenomenon called "oxidative stress," common in ALS and other degenerative diseases.
July 22, 2010
Families affected by either of two forms of congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), known as Ullrich CMD and Bethlem myopathy, are invited to help with an MDA-supported data collection project at the
July 22, 2010
Children and adults with types 2 and 3 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who are no longer walking have an increased risk of being overnourished and overweight if they otherwise have relatively good
July 14, 2010
Scientists have found that mice with a disease resembling a mild form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) known as SMA type 3 showed more production of a needed protein in their spinal cords and more
July 06, 2010
Sean Scott, the late president of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) in Cambridge, Mass., used to compare ALS to a building fire in which firemen show up focused on one thing: putting