Innovative Hair Analysis May Enable Early Detection of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made a groundbreaking discovery demonstrating that a single strand of human hair can reveal distinct elemental patterns associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Published in eBioMedicine, this study highlights the potential of a simple, noninvasive hair-based test to facilitate earlier diagnosis of ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease often diagnosed only 10 to 16 months after symptom onset. Early detection is crucial as it can improve patient quality of life and potentially extend survival, but current diagnostic methods are invasive and costly.

Using advanced laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, the research team analyzed single hair strands from 391 participants, including 295 ALS-positive cases and 96 controls. Each hair provided up to 800 data points, reflecting fluctuations in elemental composition—such as copper, zinc, magnesium, and lead—every few hours. The analysis revealed that systemic dysregulation of copper metabolism is a hallmark of ALS. Specifically, ALS patients exhibited significantly reduced synchrony in copper-based elemental networks, indicating disrupted copper homeostasis. Notably, male patients showed weakened copper-zinc interactions, while female patients demonstrated abnormalities in chromium-nickel patterns.

"Our findings suggest that hair can serve as a window into the body's elemental balance," explained senior author Manish Arora, BDS, MPH, Ph.D. "By monitoring these biodynamics over time, we can identify disruptions linked to ALS in a simple, noninvasive manner. This approach has the potential to revolutionize ALS diagnosis, making it faster, easier, and more accessible."

Vishal Midya, Ph.D., another senior author, emphasized that this is the first study to use hair to detect elemental dysregulation in ALS. The measurable differences in copper biodynamics provide proof-of-concept that a scalable hair-based biomarker could be developed. While an official diagnostic test is not yet available, these findings pave the way for future research aimed at creating a quick, cost-effective screening method. Early identification through such a biomarker could enable expedited treatment initiation, including medications, assistive devices, and therapy, ultimately improving quality of life and survival rates for ALS patients.

This innovative research underscores the potential of elemental biodynamics in hair as a new frontier in neurodegenerative disease diagnostics, promising a future where ALS detection is less invasive and more timely.