Finding new blood tests to detect ALS early through nerve biopsies

Researchers are trying to find new ways to detect ALS earlier by looking for disease markers in skin biopsies and blood samples. This study will enroll 400 people—including those with ALS, family members at genetic risk, people with other nerve diseases, and healthy controls—to discover patterns that could become simple blood tests for diagnosing ALS before symptoms get worse.

ALS is a devastating disease with no cure, and doctors today don't have reliable early warning signs to catch it quickly. This research aims to identify new biomarkers—measurable signs of disease—that could help detect ALS much earlier and lead to new treatments that might slow or stop the disease.