Researchers from the Brain Chemistry Labs have announced an improved blood test that could make it possible to detect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at an earlier stage and reduce the mortality rate from the disorder.
Blood Test
ALS, a highly prevalent form of motor neuron disease is a very difficult disorder to diagnose. As a result, there is a significantly long period between its onset and when it is usually diagnosed.
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A major reason ALS is often not detected early enough is the high probability of misdiagnosis. The disorder presents symptoms similar to some other diseases in its early stages. According to researchers, a wrong diagnosis occurs in as many as 68 percent of cases.
It is no surprise then that most people with ALS die 2-5 years after diagnosis.
This novel blood test, revealed in an article published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences, shows the potential of helping to diagnose the disorder faster. Scientists from the Dartmouth Department of Neurology and the Centers for Disease Control were also involved in this work.
Developing a better test
Researchers at the Brain Chemistry Labs previously developed a blood test for ALS two years ago. The test targeted microRNAs, which are short genetic material segments, found in extracellular vesicles.
A major issue with that blood test was that it required strict protocols for blood sample collection, shipping, and storage. Blood samples need to be maintained at a temperature of minus 80 degrees Celsius. The protocols looked to make the test less suitable and hard for doctors and neurologists to use.
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In this new work, researchers wanted to improve on that blood test from 2020. They sought to reproduce it with the less rigorous collection and storage requirements.
Test evaluation
The team put the improved test to work by contrasting blinded blood samples taken from 50 persons with ALS with samples from 50 control subjects. Genetic fingerprinting of five microRNA sequences successfully identified ALS patients and healthy individuals.
“We were surprised that the microRNA test worked for samples collected from a variety of investigators under differing conditions,” said Dr. Sandra Banack, the paper’s first author.
The researchers were somewhat amazed to find that samples did not need to follow stringent collection and storage protocols.
“Apparently, the extracellular vesicles shed into the blood protect their genetic cargo against different environmental conditions,” explained fellow researcher Dr. Paul Cox.
The researchers are currently verifying their new blood test at the Jackson Hole, WY-based Brain Chemistry Labs. They have applied for a patent and are hoping to find a company to help make the test commercially available.
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This test promises to help save the lives of many people with ALS. It could aid in cutting the time between disorder onset and diagnosis a great deal.
References
Banack, S. A., Dunlop, R. A., Stommel, E. W., Mehta, P., & Cox, P. A. (2022). miRNA extracted from extracellular vesicles is a robust biomarker of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 442, 120396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2022.120396
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