A major discovery could dramatically change the way and speed with which amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is diagnosed. Scientists from Brain Chemistry Labs, led by Dr. Sandra Banack, have developed a new blood test that can detect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with impressive accuracy. The test is based on the detection of a unique pattern of tiny molecules in the blood, known as microRNAs (miRNAs), which act as “switches” to regulate various functions in the body.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most serious and progressive neurodegenerative diseases, affecting the upper motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord. The disease causes gradual muscle paralysis, with the majority of patients dying within 2 to 5 years of onset. However, its diagnosis remains particularly difficult and can take months or even years, as it is based on clinical observations, while misdiagnoses are common.
The study (“A microRNA diagnostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis“), published in Brain Communications, examined blood samples from 331 people, including 119 patients with ALS, 42 patients with primary lateral sclerosis (a condition similar to ALS), 20 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 150 healthy volunteers. The scientists used advanced techniques to isolate and analyze miRNAs, which are found in extracellular vesicles and come from nerve cells.
As the researchers report, the test was able to identify ALS with an accuracy of up to 100% in some analyses, without missing any cases. The test also demonstrates an exceptional accuracy of 97%, meaning it is very rare to give false positive results. This high sensitivity and specificity makes the test one of the most accurate diagnostic tools in medicine, where such performance is rare.
