Muscle degeneration in ALS - Healthy Volunteer

STUDY BASICS

Are you 18 to 80 years old? You may be eligible for a research study at the University of Pittsburgh recruiting healthy volunteers and motor neuron disease volunteers for a study that aims to determine how muscle types impacts degeneration in human Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Muscles of the upper and lower limb will be evaluated and compared.

STUDY PURPOSE

Multiple mechanisms are thought to contribute in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), though clear cause and effect relationships are lacking. With respect to the motor function, studies in animal models suggest that different muscle types are affected differently by the disease. Thus, there is a critical need to determine the role of muscle type and to identify the mechanisms responsible for this vulnerability.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• 18 years of age or older
• no history of neurological illness
• do not have an active implanted electrical medical device (i.e., pacemaker, vagal nerve stimulator, diaphragm pacer, etc.)

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Each volunteer will be asked to participate for a 3 hour session, including 1 hour for sensor preparation and calibration, followed by 2 hours of data collection. During the visit, volunteers will complete common tasks such as reaching, grasping, and manipulating objects. Sensors will be used to record various motor tasks. These sessions may be repeated up to 18 times to contribute multiple data sets.