View clinical trials related to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Filter by:The investigators aim at exploring the differential/topographical in-situ expression of cytokines in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients who died with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), using archived histopathology slides and residual paraffin blocks from autopsied cases. Previous studies from the investigators and other groups showed that inflammatory cytokines are implicated in several neurological affections, particularly neurodegenerative conditions. However, in-situ cytokine expression has never been studied so far in ALS. The investigators wanted to see if these neuro-mediators are involved in the neuromolecular chain/cascade underlying ALS.
Creation of a large repository of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), bio-fluid samples (blood and spinal fluid (optional)), and cell lines for ALS gene identification. This will be combined carefully with collected measures of the pattern of the symptoms people with ALS have and how these change over time. People with other motor neuron diseases and healthy controls will be included as comparisons
The proposed observational trial will collect substantial data concerning dietary intake documented by ALS patients complemented by the analysis of fatty acid distribution in erythrocyte lipids. Both data sets are related to disease status and progress.
The purpose of the study is to determine if we are able to find one or more biomarkers of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at different levels, 3 tesla (3T) and 7 tesla (7T). A biomarker is a measurable characteristic that can be used as an indicator of a particular disease state. Identifying biomarkers of a disease can lead to a better understanding of the disease as well as improved treatments. This study will enroll patients with ALS, PLS, and healthy controls.
This is a multicenter, 18-month study, which aims to identify imaging and biofluid biomarkers in people with ALS to expand the understanding of ALS pathology, treatment targets, disease progression, and anatomical differences between different disease phenotypes. This pilot project is tailored to produce imaging tools that will allow researchers to conduct future ALS clinical trials more efficiently which may in turn impact the pace for ALS drug discovery.
This project assessed muscle oxidative metabolism and fatigue in patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) undergoing to three months of individualized cardiovascular and strength training. Muscle oxidative metabolism and strength will be assessed by non-invasive methods, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and mechanomyography (MMG). NIRS is a technique giving indications on the capacity of oxygen extraction of muscles during exercise. MMG allows analyzing the pattern of motor unit recruitment and related fatigue. The investigators will also assess the effects of training on pain tolerance and quality of life (QoL) by the Brief Pain Inventory and the McGill Quality of Life questionnaires, using the validated Italian versions. Patients will be assessed longitudinally before (time T0) and after three months of individualized training (time T1). After one month of de-training (time T2) the investigators will assess the hypothetic persistence of any treatment-related effect. The effect of three months-osteopathic treatment (osteo) on pain and QoL will be assessed as well.
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the adaptation to the Non Invasive Ventilation (NIV) at home is not worse when compared with an adaptation performed in inpatient settings.
The goal of this study is to establish a genetic registry of patients with early-onset motor neuron and neuromuscular diseases. The investigators will collect samples from patients with a motor neuron or a neuromuscular disorder and their family members. The samples to be collected will be obtained using minimally invasive (whole blood) means. The research team will then extract high quality genomic DNA or RNA from these samples and use it to identify and confirm novel gene mutations and to identify genes which regulate the severity of motor neuron/neuromuscular diseases.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease which involves respiratory muscles and can lead at short term to respiratory failure. The occurrence of respiratory failure is associated with morbidity and an increased mortality. To date, respiratory muscle weakness is predicted from the reduction of vital capacity, maximal inspiratory force, nocturnal symptoms and hypercapnia. Even taken together, the predictive value of these indices is low. The investigators hypothesize that an endurance test of diaphragmatic work would be more sensitive to respiratory muscle involvement than maximal respiratory force. Consequently, the investigators assessed diaphragmatic performance through an isocapnic hyperventilation test (IHT) in patients at the onset of ALS and, then regularly up to the occurrence of respiratory failure. The investigators make the hypothesis that IHT will be altered earlier than maximal inspiratory force
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disease. Nonspecific symptoms lead to a delay in the diagnosis, only confirmed by the electrophysiologic study. Objectives. 1. To establish the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in ALS. 2. To evaluate the rate of muscle and nerve degeneration by ultrasonography in patients with ALS. 3. To check the relationship between ultrasound, clinical variables and functional tests in patients with ALS. Methods. A longitudinal observational study in a consecutive sample of patients diagnosed with ALS will be realized. All the patients will be examined 3 times during 6 months and capabilities associated with ALS and muscle strength will be assessed. Bilateral and cross sectional ultrasonography of several muscles and also median and tibial nerves will be performed. All the images will be processed and analyzed for obtaining morphometric variables (muscle thickness and nerve area) and textural ones (echogenic variation, entropy, homogeneity, textural contrast and correlation). Frequency of twitches will be also recorded. After longitudinal study, a survival study will be performed in relation to functional and sonographic variables.