| Title |
Studies of Environmental Risk Factors in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and a Phase I Clinical Trial of l-Serine
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Neurotoxicity Research, May 2017
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s12640-017-9741-x |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Walter G. Bradley, R. X. Miller, T. D. Levine, E. W. Stommel, P. A. Cox |
| Abstract |
β-N-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) has been linked to Guam ALS/PDC and shown to produce neurodegeneration in vitro and in vivo (Drosophila, mice, rats, primates). BMAA misincorporation into neuroproteins produces protein misfolding and is inhibited by L-serine. Case-control studies in Northern New England indicate that living near to water-bodies with cyanobacterial blooms increases the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The distribution of addresses of ALS cases in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Florida was compared to that of controls. Areas of statistically significantly increased numbers of ALS cases were examined for sources of environmental toxins. A phase I trial of oral L-serine was performed in 20 ALS patients (0.5 to 15 g twice daily). Safety and tolerability were assessed by comparing the rate of deterioration with 430 matched placebo controls. The distribution of residential addresses of ALS cases in New England and Florida revealed many areas where the age- and gender-adjusted frequency of ALS was greater than expected (P < 0.01). GIS studies of these "hot spots" in relation to sources of environmental pollutants, like cyanobacterial blooms, Superfund and Brownfield sites, and landfills, are ongoing. In the phase I trial of L-serine, two patients withdrew from because of gastrointestinal side effects. Three patients died during the study, which was about the expected number. The ALSFRS-R in the L-serine-treated patients showed a dose-related decrease in the rate of progression (34% reduction in slope, P = 0.044). The non-random distribution of addresses of ALS patients suggests that residential exposure to environmental pollutants may play an important role in the etiology of ALS. L-Serine in doses up to 15 g twice daily appears to be safe in patients with ALS. Exploratory studies of efficacy suggested that L-serine might slow disease progression. A phase II trial is planned. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 3 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 3 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 2 | 67% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 33% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 82 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 82 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 13 | 16% |
| Student > Bachelor | 9 | 11% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 10% |
| Researcher | 7 | 9% |
| Other | 5 | 6% |
| Other | 12 | 15% |
| Unknown | 28 | 34% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 14 | 17% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 11 | 13% |
| Neuroscience | 6 | 7% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 4 | 5% |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 5% |
| Other | 14 | 17% |
| Unknown | 29 | 35% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 12. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 24 July 2018.
All research outputs
#2,823,136
of 23,577,654 outputs
Outputs from Neurotoxicity Research
#78
of 895 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#52,536
of 313,915 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Neurotoxicity Research
#2
of 31 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,577,654 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 87th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 895 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.4. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 313,915 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 83% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 31 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 93% of its contemporaries.