One Simple Test May Detect ALS Years Before It Starts
Summary
Scientists have found a group of blood proteins that change months or years before symptoms of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) appear. This discovery may help predict when the disease will start and allow for earlier treatment to prevent nerve damage.Key Facts
- ALS is a disease that damages nerve cells controlling movement and affects about 5,000 people in the U.S. each year.
- Researchers studied blood samples from people at high genetic risk of ALS over nearly 20 years.
- They measured over 5,000 proteins and found 92 whose levels changed before symptoms began.
- A group of 19 proteins was identified that could predict when people would develop symptoms with about 18 months accuracy.
- These proteins include neurofilament light chain (NfL), which is linked to nerve cell damage.
- The prediction method works for 6 months to 5 years before symptoms start.
- The findings may help test treatments aimed at delaying or stopping ALS before symptoms appear.
- The results were confirmed using data from another large health study in the UK.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
