MONITOR ALS

Using electrical recordings from the skin to monitor MND

Motor neurones carry electrical signals from the brain to the muscles. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of MND, the motor neurones which control the muscles start to send abnormal electrical signals before they eventually fail. These changes may be detectable using non-invasive electrical recordings from the surface of the skin. If reliable biological markers of abnormal motor neurone behaviour can be identified, it may be possible to track ALS without invasive procedures. This could potentially help with earlier and more accurate diagnosis, monitoring of disease progression, and evaluating whether treatments are working in clinical trials.

The researchers would like to follow people living with ALS and people who do not have ALS over six months. They will take non-invasive electrical recordings from the skin at three time points, to track motor neurone behaviour. They will compare the recordings over time, and compare recordings from people with ALS to people without ALS. 

How will this study help people with and affected by MND now and/or in the future?

Currently, there are few biological markers that can reliably track ALS progression. This makes it difficult to monitor how quickly the disease is progressing and to evaluate whether treatments are working in clinical trials. By identifying non-invasive biomarkers of MND, the researchers hope that MONITOR ALS could contribute to faster and more accurate diagnosis, better monitoring of disease progression, and more efficient drug trials.