Primary Lateral Sclerosis
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Learn About Primary Lateral Sclerosis

What is the definition of Primary Lateral Sclerosis?
Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a rare neuromuscular disease that affects the nerve cells that control the voluntary muscles. Problems in the legs (such as weakness, stiffness, spasticity, and balance problems) are often observed first, but hand clumsiness and changes in speech can be early symptoms, as well. The underlying cause of adult PLS is currently unknown. In most cases, it occurs sporadically in people with no family history of the condition. A subtype of PLS, called juvenile PLS, is caused by changes in the ALS2 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.
What are the alternative names for Primary Lateral Sclerosis?
  • Primary lateral sclerosis
  • Adult-onset PLS
  • Adult-onset primary lateral sclerosis
Who are the top Primary Lateral Sclerosis Local Doctors?
Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
Referral may be required

Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center

601 North Caroline Street, Floor 5, Floor 5, 
Baltimore, MD 
Languages Spoken:
English

Nicholas Maragakis treats patients with motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This care is coordinated with the Johns Hopkins Center for ALS Specialty Care, a multidisciplinary clinic with expertise in treating patients with ALS and providing support to their caregivers. He serves as medical director of the ALS Clinical Trials Unit, an extension of the multidisciplinary clinic that seeks to facilitate opportunities for patients with ALS to participate in clinical trials that could advance the treatment of this disease. Dr. Maragakis is interested in the basic science of understanding neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the translational potential of therapeutic compounds developed in the laboratory. His fundamental research interest is in using stem cells — more specifically, stem cell-derived motor neurons and glia — for understanding the development and propagation of ALS. His laboratory has been involved in creating and characterizing lines of stem cells from patients with ALS using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) methodologies. The laboratory has a large library of iPSCs from patients with familial ALS and from patients with sporadic ALS. The utilization of this library of iPSCs has facilitated the development of a spinal cord-specific iPSC-astrocyte/motor neuron co-culture system, which has been leveraged for the development of assays that can be used for both the basic understanding of ALS astrocyte and motor neuron biology as well as, eventually, drug screening for ALS therapeutics. His laboratory has taken its long-standing interests in astrocyte biology, as it relates to ALS, to develop a program that investigates astrocyte-specific mechanisms as contributors to the progression (both temporally and anatomically) of disease in ALS. In this vein, there is an interest in astrocytic glutamate transporters and, more recently, astrocyte hemichannels and gap junctions. Dr. Maragakis is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Primary Lateral Sclerosis. He is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), Primary Lateral Sclerosis, 15q11.2 Microdeletion, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
Referral may be required

Emory Brain Health Center

12 Executive Park Drive Northeast, 
Atlanta, GA 
Experience:
41+ years
Languages Spoken:
English
Offers Telehealth

Jonathan Glass is a Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine provider practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been practicing medicine for over 41 years. Dr. Glass is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Primary Lateral Sclerosis. He is also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy, and Gastrostomy. Dr. Glass is board certified in American Board Of Pathology, 1997.

 
 
 
 
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Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Elite in Primary Lateral Sclerosis
Referral may be required

BIDMC Department Of Neurology

330 Brookline Avenue, 
Boston, MA 
Languages Spoken:
English
Offers Telehealth

Seward Rutkove is a Neurologist practicing medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Rutkove is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Primary Lateral Sclerosis. He is also highly rated in 12 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Becker Muscular Dystrophy, and Orchiectomy. Dr. Rutkove is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology.

What are the latest Primary Lateral Sclerosis Clinical Trials?
A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Pridopidine in Participants With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the drug pridopidine works to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in adults. It will also help to learn about the safety of pridopidine. The main question it aims to answer is: Does pridopidine slow disease progression of ALS? Researchers will compare pridopidine to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if pridopidine works t...

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Electrical Impedance Myography: Natural History Studies in Neuromuscular Disorders and Healthy Volunteers

Background: \- Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a new technique being studied to see if it is helpful in evaluating muscle disorders and nerve disorders. EIM looks at how a mild, painless electrical current travels through muscles. Researchers want to gain experience in using the EIM device. They will collect information on the results of using it on people with and without nerve and muscle diseases, a...

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Published Date: May 02, 2022
Published By: Genetic and Rare Diseases Informnation Center