Clinical Trial of Ezogabine (Retigabine) in ALS Subjects

One of the major disease features of ALS is the progressive death of motor neurons. Human, rodent and stem cell-based model studies support the hypothesis that neuronal hyperexcitability may contribute to neurodegeneration in both sporadic and familial ALS. The investigators are doing this research study to find out whether retigabine will reduce motor neuron excitability in people with ALS. the investigators will also determine whether the drug is tolerable and safe for patients with ALS. The proposed study will determine how the potassium channel opener ezogabine (retigabine) affects neurophysiological measures of upper and lower motor neuron excitability in ALS patients as assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and threshold tracking nerve conduction studies (TTNCS), respectively. The study will include the recruitment of approximately 60 unmatched healthy control subjects for analysis of variability of the neurophysiological tests prior to recruitment of ALS subjects. There will also be 12 matched healthy control subjects, recruited at the same time as ALS subjects.