Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons and usually results in death within 2-5 years of symptom onset. Researchers used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples from ALS patients and controls to search for biomarkers in early ALS. The study found that NMR spectroscopy, when combined with other analytical techniques, could detect changes in certain CSF metabolite concentrations for ALS patients. However, the mechanisms of ALS are complex and no single biomarker has been identified that could replace regular patient checkups.

1. Juan Carlos Torres Sánchez #804-11-9230 BIOL 3095
Blasco H, Corcia P, Moreau C, Veau S, Fournier C, Vourc’h P, Emond Patrick,
Gordon P, PradatPF, Praline J, Devos D, Desbarats L and Andres CR. 2010. H-NMR-
Based Metabolomic Profiling of CSF in Early Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Plos
One. 5(10):e13223
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons.
Patients usually live 2-5 years after symptom onset with an unknown cause. In this
research,samples were collected from the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients
and from subjects that did not have a neurodegenerative disease. Metabolomics
studies were performed on the samples using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance)
spectroscopy to find biomarkers in the early stages of the disease, and to evaluate
certain biochemical factors that are involved in ALS. The researchers are aware that
this study only focused on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), but to achieve a
superior result, the combinations of different approache is better. The results
demonstrated that H NMR spectroscopy combined with other analysis techniques
could detect certain changes in the concentration of some CSF metabolites in ALS.
The mechanisms involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are very complex and none
have been identified as useful biomarkers that can substitutefor the patient’sroutine
check up.