Primary Lateral Sclerosis

The purpose of the Clinical Procedures To Support Research (CAPTURE) study is to utilize information collected in the medical record to learn more about a disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related disorders.

CAPTURE ALS is a long-term data and biorepository platform that will facilitate future ALS research. CAPTURE ALS will provide the standardized systems and tools necessary to collect, store, and analyze vast amounts of multimodal information about ALS. These multimodal datasets and biosamples will be made available for use by researchers or industry across Canada and around the world in accordance with the CAPTURE ALS Data Sharing Policy to advance research on ALS.

The Spastic Paraplegia - Centers of Excellence Research Network (SP-CERN) is a collaborative research consortium dedicated to advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). Aims of the consortium are to a) perform natural history studies of HSP subtypes, b) discover and validate biomarkers and clinician- and patient-reported outcome measures, c) uncover HSP's molecular pathophysiology and develop rational therapeutic targets, and d) perform sufficiently powered clinical trials. The current pilot study is aimed at enrolling 100 individuals with hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4) or hereditary spastic paraplegia type 5A (SPG5A).

This single-arm pilot study evaluates the effects of whole-body electrical muscle stimulation (WB-EMS) exercise on neuromuscular and physical function in adults with neuromuscular disease (NMD). Due to motor unit impairments, NMD patients often cannot tolerate traditional exercise. WB-EMS bypasses voluntary activation limits by directly stimulating muscle contractions. Up to 50 adults with conditions like ALS, SMA, and MG will undergo 20-minute supervised WB-EMS sessions (1-2 times weekly for 4-8 weeks) using the Katalyst system. Outcomes include neural excitability (TMS), motor unit behavior (EMG, NCS), functional tests (walk, balance, strength), and patient-reported fatigue, pain, and quality of life. Strict safety monitoring and exclusion criteria are in place. This study will provide preliminary data on WB-EMS as a potential exercise modality for NMD.

The purpose of the study is to determine if we are able to find one or more biomarkers of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at different levels, 3 tesla (3T) and 7 tesla (7T). A biomarker is a measurable characteristic that can be used as an indicator of a particular disease state. Identifying biomarkers of a disease can lead to a better understanding of the disease as well as improved treatments. This study will enroll patients with ALS, PLS, and healthy controls.