ALS is one of the most devastating diseases affecting the nervous system.
It attacks the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles, causing increasing weakness until everyday tasks become impossible.
Because nerve cells cannot easily recover once they are lost, finding the disease early has become one of the biggest goals in medical research.
Scientists from the University of Miami believe they may have found an important clue hidden in the blood. Their new research shows that changes in a small group of blood proteins may signal that ALS is approaching long before the first symptoms appear.
For families carrying inherited ALS genes, this discovery could be especially valuable. Some people know they have a high genetic risk but have no way of knowing when the disease might begin. Until now, doctors have had very little information to guide these conversations.
The researchers analysed blood samples collected through the Pre-fALS study, which has followed people with inherited ALS risk for nearly two decades. The volunteers provided blood samples and health information while they were still healthy, creating a unique record of the period before disease develops.
Using powerful laboratory technology, the team measured more than 5,000 proteins in blood samples. They discovered that dozens of these proteins changed before participants developed ALS or frontotemporal dementia, another disease that can occur alongside ALS.
To find the strongest warning signals, the researchers used artificial intelligence methods to compare different protein combinations. A panel of 19 proteins provided the best predictions across different time periods, helping estimate when symptoms would appear.
One important protein in the panel was neurofilament light chain, which previous studies had already linked to nerve damage. Combined with the other proteins, it helped create a much more accurate picture of disease progression than any single marker alone.
The scientists also checked their findings using information from the UK Biobank, which includes health data from a much broader population. Similar results increased confidence that the protein pattern may have value beyond the original research group.
The discovery comes at an important time because preventive treatments are beginning to enter clinical trials. Researchers are currently studying whether the drug tofersen can delay or prevent ALS if it is started before symptoms appear.
Being able to identify the best time to begin treatment could make these medicines much more effective. Instead of waiting until nerve cells have already been lost, doctors may one day intervene while the nervous system is still largely healthy.
This research represents a major advance in the search for early ALS detection, but it is not the final answer. Larger studies and real-world testing are still needed before these protein tests become part of routine care.
Even so, the study provides strong evidence that blood-based biomarkers could transform how ALS is diagnosed and treated, shifting the focus from reacting to disease toward preventing it before irreversible damage occurs.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and flavonoid-rich foods could help prevent dementia.
For more health information, please see recent studies that cranberries could help boost memory, and how alcohol, coffee and tea intake influence cognitive decline.
Source: University of Miami.
