Overview

• Researchers analyzed single hair strands from 391 people using laser ablation–ICP–MS, generating up to about 800 time points per strand across 17 elements.
• ALS cases showed markedly lower synchrony within copper-based elemental networks than controls, pointing to systemic copper dysregulation.
• The team observed sex-specific patterns, with weaker copper–zinc dynamics in males and disrupted chromium–nickel relationships in females.
• The work is described as proof-of-concept rather than a validated diagnostic test and was published in eBioMedicine.
• Investigators say a simple hair analysis could one day help shorten the typical 10–16 month diagnostic delay in the United States.