Acetylcholine Receptors From Human Muscles as Pharmacological Target for ALS
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2015-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
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.