Non-Invasive Measurement of Gastrointestinal (GI) Motility in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

This study will examine how much time it takes for the food to travel along the intestines from mouth or stomach (if you have a feeding tube) to the end of the large intestine using a special instrument that measures hydrogen gas in your breath. Data collection will start after you sign this consent form. The only procedures that would be above and beyond routine care are indicated below: In order to prepare for the study you will be asked to be off all medications that affects the GI motility for 24 hours. You will also be asked to fast overnight (starting midnight) the day before the test. After fasting overnight, the test will be performed in the morning (at the Neurology Outpatient Clinic or at your home). Before eating or drinking anything a baseline measurement will be taken by breathing into the hydrogen meter. This will be just normal breathing. You will then drink a test meal consisting of 250 ml (approximately 1 cup) of a lactose (type of sugar) free supplement (For example Ensure) that has 20 grams of Lactulose added. If you have a peg tube then the supplement will be given through the tube. After 10 minutes you will again be asked to breath into the machine to measure the hydrogen gas levels. This will be repeated every 10 minutes until the hydrogen levels rise to a certain level or until 4 hours have passed.