Lorne Zinman

Research Synopsis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a devastating neurological disease that results in the degeneration of motor neurons leading to paralysis and death in most patients. There is no treatment to halt or reverse ALS and the specific cause remains unknown. Dr. Zinman’s research aims to characterize better the clinical, electrophysiological and pathological phenotypes and variants of the disease to find a treatment.

In collaboration with Drs. Janice Robertson, Ekaterina Rogaeva, Yana Yunusova and Julia Keith, the group continues to study the disease’s pathophysiology to discover novel therapeutic targets. Epidemiological research provides clues to the etiology and exacerbating factors of the disease. The team also leads and participates in multicentre clinical trials evaluating the most promising ALS therapeutics.

Research interests include conducting clinical trials and investigating the neurophysiological and epidemiological features of neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome and other immune-mediated neuropathies.

Recent Publications

1. Provincial Differences in the Diagnosis and Care of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
   Hodgkinson VL, Lounsberry J, Mirian A, Genge A, Benstead T, Briemberg H, Grant I, Hader W, Johnston WS, Kalra S, Linassi G, Massie R, Melanson M, O'Connell C, Schellenberg K, Shoesmith C, Taylor S, Worley S, Zinman L, Korngut L.

2. Finger Extension Weakness and Downbeat Nystagmus Motor Neuron Disease Syndrome: A Series of Two Cases.
   Micieli A, Zinman L, Ashby P, Sundaram ANE.
   J Neuroophthalmol. 2018 Oct 31. 

3. Optimal E2 (reference) electrode placement in fibular motor nerve conduction studies recording from the tibialis anterior muscle.
   Escorcio-Bezerra ML, Abrahao A, Nunes KF, de Castro Sparapani FV, de Oliveira Braga NI, Robinson LR, Zinman L, Manzano GM.
   Muscle Nerve. 2018 Oct 28.

4. A complex of C9ORF72 and p62 uses arginine methylation to eliminate stress granules by autophagy.
   Chitiprolu M, Jagow C, Tremblay V, Bondy-Chorney E, Paris G, Savard A, Palidwor G, Barry FA, Zinman L, Keith J, Rogaeva E, Robertson J, Lavallée-Adam M, Woulfe J, Couture JF, Côté J, Gibbings D.
   Nat Commun. 2018 Jul 18;9(1):2794.

5. Kinematic Features of Jaw and Lips Distinguish Symptomatic From Presymptomatic Stages of Bulbar Decline in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
   Bandini A, Green JR, Wang J, Campbell TF, Zinman L, Yunusova Y.
   J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2018 May 17;61(5):1118-1129.