Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Tissue Donation Program
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Tissue Donation Program
Despite significant progress in the identification of mechanisms involved in motor neuron
 degeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other motor system diseases, the
 actual pathogenesis and cause of these diseases remains unknown. Effective treatment of these
 diseases are dependent on the elucidation of their causes. The availability of diseased and
 control human tissues will be a critical resource for this research progress. . Samples of
 serum, spinal fluid, and urine from patients with motor system diseases can be used to study
 biochemical and genetic differences compared to tissues of neurologic disease controls and
 normal controls. Furthermore, the availability of autopsied CNS, PNS, as well as other
 tissues from patients with ALS or suspected ALS are useful for current and future research
 studies into the disease. Therefore, we propose to institute a Tissue Bank containing blood,
 urine, and cerebrospinal fluid donated from not only ALS and other motor neuron disease
 patients, but also those with other neurologic diseases and normals whose tissue can be used
 as controls. In addition there will be an autopsy band for post-mortem specimens of ALS and
 other motor neuron disease patients. Each specimen, whether from a living patient or autopsy
 will be de-identified and accompanied by a standard set of clinical information collected
 from the medical records in order that each specimen is characterized with the relevant
 clinical information to maximize the usefulness of the specimens.

 Once established, this tissue bank will provide a resource in which a large number of samples
 will be readily available and expedite research by circumventing the delays in collecting
 specimens prospectively. These specimens will be used for research in the ALS Center of Hope
 at Drexel University College of Medicine and shared with any outside investigator with a
 valid IRB approved protocol.
Despite significant progress in the identification of mechanisms involved in motor neuron
 degeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other motor system diseases, the
 actual pathogenesis and cause of these diseases remains unknown. Effective treatment of these
 diseases are dependent on the elucidation of their causes. The availability of diseased and
 control human tissues will be a critical resource for this research progress. . Samples of
 serum, spinal fluid, and urine from patients with motor system diseases can be used to study
 biochemical and genetic differences compared to tissues of neurologic disease controls and
 normal controls. Furthermore, the availability of autopsied CNS, PNS, as well as other
 tissues from patients with ALS or suspected ALS are useful for current and future research
 studies into the disease. Therefore, we propose to institute a Tissue Bank containing blood,
 urine, and cerebrospinal fluid donated from not only ALS and other motor neuron disease
 patients, but also those with other neurologic diseases and normals whose tissue can be used
 as controls. In addition there will be an autopsy band for post-mortem specimens of ALS and
 other motor neuron disease patients. Each specimen, whether from a living patient or autopsy
 will be de-identified and accompanied by a standard set of clinical information collected
 from the medical records in order that each specimen is characterized with the relevant
 clinical information to maximize the usefulness of the specimens.

 Once established, this tissue bank will provide a resource in which a large number of samples
 will be readily available and expedite research by circumventing the delays in collecting
 specimens prospectively. These specimens will be used for research in the ALS Center of Hope
 at Drexel University College of Medicine and shared with any outside investigator with a
 valid IRB approved protocol.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Diagnosed with ALS or other motor system disorder including PLS, Bulbar Palsy or Motor
 neuropathy

 -  Diagnosed with other chronic neurologic illnesses (Alzheimers, multiple sclerosis,
 migraines, etc)

 -  Normal Controls

 -  In the case of spinal fluid collection, the patient will be undergoing a diagnostic
 lumbar puncture as part of the work-up

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Any person with a non-neurologic chronic and poorly controlled systemic illness