Neurology · 2 h ago
Sleep abnormalities progress before clinical onset in ALS mutation carriers
A longitudinal study of 18 presymptomatic ALS-associated mutation carriers found progressive changes in sleep architecture on polysomnography and EEG. The findings suggest a potential marker of premanifest disease progression, but the available preview provides limited methodological and quantitative detail.
- Longitudinal study included 18 presymptomatic ALS-associated mutation carriers.
- Macro and micro sleep architecture abnormalities progressively worsened.
- Changes occurred independently of proximity to motor onset.
- Clinical utility of polysomnography requires further evaluation.
Longitudinal data summarized in Nature Reviews Neurology suggest that sleep abnormalities progressively worsen before clinical onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Building on earlier work identifying altered sleep architecture in presymptomatic ALS, investigators assessed 18 presymptomatic individuals carrying ALS-associated gene mutations using polysomnography and EEG. They found advancing changes in both macro and micro sleep architecture during the premanifest phase, occurring independently of proximity to motor onset. The findings suggest that polysomnography could offer a marker of disease progression in clinically silent genetic ALS. However, the available subscription preview does not report follow-up duration, specific sleep measures, effect sizes or comparator details. The small cohort and limited information available do not establish the clinical utility of sleep testing for monitoring presymptomatic mutation carriers.
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Nature Reviews Neurology: Progressive sleep abnormalities precede ALS clinical onset ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.