“Our research aims to bring forward the window of diagnosis using a simple technique that is more accessible…and to help improve biomarkers that we can use to improve outcomes in clinical trials.``
Watch the full interview with Dr Mehdi Van den Bos below.
Project Summary:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neurone Disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative condition in which nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord stop working, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis, and ultimately death. ALS is often diagnosed late, and current treatments offer limited benefit, partly because there are few tools to detect early brain changes or monitor disease progression.
Evidence suggests the disease begins in the brain’s motor areas long before symptoms appear. This project aims to identify early “fingerprints” of ALS in the brain by measuring activity with electroencephalography (EEG) and brain excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Around 80 patients with suspected ALS or related conditions will be recruited from two Sydney clinics for clinical assessments combined with EEG and TMS recordings. Advanced artificial intelligence, including machine learning and deep neural networks, will be used to detect subtle patterns that are not visible to the human eye.
The project has three main goals: develop an EEG-based test for earlier diagnosis, create a method to detect brain hyperexcitability in patients unable to undergo TMS, and identify EEG and TMS markers that predict disease progression. If successful, this research will provide new tools to detect ALS sooner, monitor patients more effectively, and support improved clinical trials, ultimately helping to accelerate the search for treatments and a cure.
The Brain Foundation is dedicated to funding the next generation of Australian research into brain disorders, diseases, and injuries, with the ultimate goal of advancing diagnoses, treatments, and patient outcomes.