Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages motor neurons, the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscle movement. It generally develops later in life and currently has no cure. Although some genetic tests are available, ALS is still diagnosed mainly by ruling out other conditions. This process can take time, delaying diagnosis and treatment.
To address this diagnostic challenge, the project aims to identify biomarkers—proteins released into the cerebrospinal fluid when motor neurons are damaged—that could provide clearer evidence of the disease and its progression. The project also aims to develop detection kits that can identify these biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid or blood samples.
These kits could support more timely detection of ALS, allowing treatment to begin earlier. As the biomarkers may indicate disease progression, they could also provide a measurable way to assess whether a treatment is having an effect. This could make them valuable for clinical trials, support clinical decision-making, and contribute to the development of future therapies. While ALS affects people worldwide, its later onset makes this work particularly relevant to aging societies such as Japan.
