[HT-15] Hot Topics 15
Toward Early Diagnosis of ALS

[HT-15-1] History and Limitations of Airlie House revision of El Escorial Criteria

^○Masahiro Sonoo (Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Japan)

ALS has been a non-curable disease, but its disease-modifying therapy is emerging increasingly. There have been hundreds of promising therapeutic agents tested for its efficacy in animal models, but only few have been approved for humans with limited efficacy. As in Alzheimer's disease, it may not be possible to change its natural course if the regimen is started too late. To this end, the diagnosis of ALS should be made early, and more surviving motor neurons be tested for the efficacy of any agent. One of these criteria for early electrophysiological diagnosis is Awaji-criteria, and its has been shown that the diagnosis is made possible several months earlier compared with Airlie House-El Escorial criteria with similar specificity. Other disease-markers, especially for detecting upper motor neuron involvement, are now being explored. In this talk, the most updated information is reviewed on these measures for early diagnosis, which make it possible to start a potentially effective treatment for disease modification.

Education:1989Ph.D. (Dr. of Medical Science), The University of Tokyo
1982M.D. The University of Tokyo, School of Medicine, Tokyo

Professional Background and Employment:
2016-presentDean of Graduate School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Tokyo (concurrent)
2015-presentChairman, Neuromuscular Electrodiagnosis Center, Teikyo University Hospital, Tokyo (concurrent)
2011-presentProfessor and Chairman, Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo
2006-2011 Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo
1992-2006 Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo
1991-1992Guest Researcher, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden
(Professor Erik Stålberg's laboratory, Study on Quantitative EMG analysis)
1984-1991Department of Neurology, Tokyo University Hospital and related institutions
1982-1984Residency in Internal Medicine, Tokyo University Hospital, Tokyo

Academic Memberships:
Editorial board of Muscle and Nerve
Editorial board of Clinical Neurophysiology Practice
Japanese Society of Neurology (Director, Chief Editor, Vice Chairman of the committee to achieve the independent specialty of Neurology)
Japanese Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (Director, Chairman of Board-certification committee, Chairman of Specialty system committee)
Japanese Society of Peripheral nerves (Director, Chairman of Finace Committee)
Japanese Association of Neurological Emergencies (Director)

Fields of Specialty and Expertise: Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular Electrodiagnosis, Needle EMG, Single-fiber EMG, Somatosensory evoked potentials, Nerve conduction studies, Myotomal chart, Diagnoses of ALS, cervical spondylotic amyotrophy, true neurogenic TOS, and non-organic paresis (Sonoo abductor test)