Acetylcholine Receptors From Human Muscles as Pharmacological Target for ALS

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2015-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease leading to motor neuron degeneration and progressive paralysis. Other studies have revealed defects in skeletal muscle even in absence of motor neuron anomalies, focusing on acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and supporting the so-called "dying-back" hypothesis. Outcome of this study will be to understand if the endocannabinoid palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) can reduce the rundown of AChRs currents in ALS muscle, and if it can modify ALS patients' clinical and electrophysiological parameters.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Roma La Sapienza
• Treatments: Acetylcholine; Palmidrol; Riluzole

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of ALS according to the El-Escorial criteria;

• Age> 18 years;

• ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS- r) score> 20;

• Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)> 30%;

• Treatment with Riluzole.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other diseases motor neurons;

• Experimental treatments in the previous three months;

• Pregnant or breast-feeding;

• Contraindications to the use of riluzole;

• Patients undergoing tracheostomy, enteral or parenteral supply;

• Severe psychiatric disorders.