Scientists at the University of Sussex have identified a potential pattern within blood which signals the presence of motor neurone disease; a discovery which could significantly improve diagnosis.

Currently, it can take up to a year for a patient to be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as motor neurone disease (MND).

But after comparing blood samples from patients with ALS, those with other motor-related neurological diseases, and healthy patients, researchers were able to identify specific biomarkers which act as a diagnostic signature for the disease.

Researchers hope that their findings, published in the journal Brain Communications, and funded by the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), could lead to the development of a blood test which will identify the unique biomarker, significantly simplifying and speeding up diagnosis.