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Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand, Remedy and Eliminate ALS

MRI | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

ALS is a disabling, rapidly progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is heterogeneous meaning that each person’s disease is different. Not only is this variability in symptoms poorly understood, but it can make diagnosis and treatment difficult.
The Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand, Remedy and Eliminate ALS (CAPTURE ALS) is a national platform that will collect, store, analyze and disseminate large amounts of data (e.g. clinical and MRI data) and biosamples from patients with ALS and healthy controls. These data and biosamples will be securely shared with researchers across the world to help understand the causes of ALS, the variability that exists between patients and help identify new treatments.

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Participation Requirements

  • Sex:

    Female, Male

  • Eligible Ages:

    40 to 80

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:
For Patients:
1. Has ALS, classified as definite, probable, laboratory-supported probable, or possible ALS according to the revised El Escorial criteria or a related neurodegenerative disorder including ALS-frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) or asymptomatic individuals with a known ALS mutation (as previously confirmed during the individual’s regular clinical care)
2. Have the cognitive capacity to provide informed consent
3. Have proficiency in English or French in order to understand study instructions and respond to questionnaires

For Healthy Controls:
1. Be between the ages of 40-80 unless age-matched to a patient (+/-3 years) who is already enrolled
2. Have the cognitive capacity to provide informed consent
3. Have proficiency in English of French to understand study instructions and respond to questionnaires
Exclusion Criteria:
For Patients:
There are no exclusion criteria for patients except for the following criterion for those undergoing an optional Lumbar Puncture (LP).
1. For patients consenting to optional lumbar puncture: Subject is taking an anticoagulant (with the exception of aspirin at the investigator’s discretion) or is at risk of increased or uncontrolled lumbar-puncture (LP) related bleeding. These risk factors could include, but are not limited to, anatomical factors at or near the LP site (e.g., vascular abnormalities, neoplasms, or other abnormalities) or abnormal platelet or coagulation test values at screening

For Healthy Controls:
1. A history of a neurological disease, including Central Nervous System disease (e.g., stroke, head injury, epilepsy) or Peripheral Nervous System disease (neuropathy, myopathy)
2. A history of psychiatric disease (e.g. depression, bipolar disease) that is clinically diagnosed and/or with the current use of psychiatric medications (e.g. antidepressants) for an indication of a psychiatric disease.
3. Subjects ineligible for an MRI due to a pacemaker or other contraindication according to local MRI policies of the study centre.
4. Significant claustrophobia that would prohibit an MRI

Study Location

University of Alberta
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Contact Study Team

Primary Contact

Sara Moradipoor

[email protected]
7802481805
Study Sponsored By
University of Alberta
Participants Required
More Information
Study ID: Pro00110972