A new study in mice conducted by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science shows that intestinal bacteria in the human body may affect and slow the development of genetically-driven neurodegenerative disorder Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
An abstract appearing in the British journal Nature on Monday reported that symptoms of the disease slowed down after mice genetically engineered to develop ALS-like disease received certain strains of intestinal bacteria or substances secreted by these bacteria. Preliminary results also suggest that the findings may also be valid for people with ALS.