28-Aug-2025
New blood test for ALS detects early signs years before symptoms appear
Johns Hopkins MedicinePeer-Reviewed Publication
By 2040, experts estimate that nearly 400,000 people worldwide will be living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This degenerative nervous system disease damages nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement, leading to progressive muscle weakness, loss of muscle mass and, eventually, difficulty breathing. Current ALS diagnosis relies on neurological evaluations and the presence of symptoms; at present, there is no definitive diagnostic test.
- Journal
- Nature Medicine
- Funder
- Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institute on Aging, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Division of Intramural Research, MSD France, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Muscular Dystrophy Association