Bulbar MND

The aim of the Bulbar Committee is to investigate and understand the pathology, clinical implications and best treatment strategies of Bulbar MND, including the development of speech and swallowing biomarker parameters throughout disease progression. The committee is chaired by Gary Pattee, MD, from Neurology Associates.

Committee Goals:

1. Define existing clinical practice patterns for screening, evaluation and management of bulbar dysfunction in ALS.
2. Apply and incorporate current bulbar measurements within the spectrum of disease progression and clinical trials.
3. Identify reliable and validated bulbar assessment modalities and their applications in the clinic.
4. Explore the impact of pharmacotherapy, device and treatment programs on bulbar function and disease progression.
5. Develop a consensus statement for recommended ‘best practice guidelines’ for the evaluation and management of bulbar dysfunction in ALS and other motor neuron diseases. Work with organizations such as the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the AAN and ASHA on developing performance measures for practice enhancement.

Recent Bulbar ALS Publications:

• Best practices protocol for the evaluation of bulbar dysfunction: summary recommendations from the NEALS bulbar subcommittee symposium. ALS/FTD, 2018.
• The assessment of bulbar function in ALS: validation of a self-report scale (CNS-BFS) European Journal of Neurology 2018. 
• The evaluation of bulbar dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: survey of clinical practice patterns in the United States ALS/FTD, 2017.