The Cysteine-Reactive Small Molecule Ebselen Facilitates Effective SOD1 Maturation

The cysteine-reactive small molecule ebselen facilitates effective SOD1 maturation

Superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutants, including those with unaltered enzymatic activity, are known to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Several destabilizing factors contribute to pathogenicity including a reduced ability to complete the normal maturation process which comprises folding, metal cofactor acquisition, intra-subunit disulphide bond formation and dimerization. Immature SOD1 forms toxic oligomers and characteristic large ins…

expert reaction to study looking at the association between prescribed use of common psychiatric medications and the risk and progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at the association between psychiatric medication use and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression.   Prof Ammar Al-Chalabi, Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics, King’s College London (KCL), said: “This is an interesting study, well carried out and leveraging the important Scandinavian health registers. There are two points to make: The associated effect on the risk…

EXPERT REACTION: Motor neurone disease linked to use of common psychia

People who use common psychiatric medications are more likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND), according to international researchers who say this could either be because of the medications themselves, or the psychiatric conditions the medications are treating. The researchers compared the use of anxiolytics, hypnotics/sedatives, and antidepressants among 1057 people with MND in Swed…