Muscle biomarkers in ALS

Researchers searched blood and spinal fluid for biomarkers in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and healthy controls to track the disease and its response to treatment. They found hundreds of proteins that differ between patients and controls, and many change as the disease progresses; muscle appears to be a major source. These markers could guide therapy trials and show whether a treatment works, with validation in another group and a hint that riluzole raises a marker called KCNIP3.