Blood test could lead to better diagnosis and management of ALS

February 26, 2025
9:26 am

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, can sometimes be difficult to diagnose or to predict how quickly the disease is likely to progress. A new study helps determine which blood tests are best at identifying and monitoring ALS. The study is published in the online issue of Neurology.

“Having an effective biomarker can be highly valuable—in addition to helping in making the diagnosis, it can help in predicting prognosis, evaluating what stage of the disease people are in, and tracking their progress or their response to treatments,” said study author Sylvain Lehmann, MD, Ph.D., of the Inserm Hospital and University of Montpellier in France.

The study compared three types of blood biomarkers: neurofilament light chain proteins, glial acidic proteins and phosphorylated tau 181. Neurofilament light chain proteins can be detected in the blood when nerve cells are injured or die.

Glial acidic proteins are released when cells work to repair injury. Phosphorylated tau 181 is linked to the buildup of amyloid proteins in the body, which occurs in Alzheimer’s disease.

Blood test could lead to better diagnosis and management of ALS

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