Resources for ALS Research: Researching neurodegenerative diseases

How to use this page

This page contains subject databases and suggested search terms for researching neurodegenerative diseases. Such research is highly disciplinary, so depending on your research angle, you may have better luck in one database over another.

Also here you will find a suggested search string for researching neurodegenerative diseases, as well as some databases that might be helpful in finding such research across different disciplines. You should be able to copy and paste the search string into any of the databases to first narrow down to neurodegenerative diseases, then add additional terms for whatever aspect of research you are interested in. Feel free to contact your subject librarian if you have questions or get stuck!

Suggested starting search string for neurodegenerative diseases:

((neurodegenerative OR "neuro degenerative" OR "neuro-degenerative" OR "motor neuron" OR ((neurologic OR "nervous system") AND degenerative)) AND (disease OR diseases OR disorder OR disorders OR condition OR conditions))

You can click on the broad discipline in the list below to be taken to the spot on this page containing suggested databases for that subject.

Biology / Microbiology
Family Science and Social Work
Gerontology
Kinesiology, Nutrition, & Health
Neuroscience
Nursing
Speech Pathology & Audiology

Biology / Microbiology

PubMed and MEDLINE are built upon the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), which can be used in your search string to expand (or narrow) your searches more efficiently. You can use the following additional search term in both of these databases, which can be copied and added to the larger string above with OR:

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
MEDLINE (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
Created by the United States National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE is an authoritative bibliographic database containing citations and abstracts for biomedical and health journals used by healthcare professionals, nurses, clinicians and researchers.
Subject Headings follow the structure of the Medical Subject headings (MeSH) used by the National Library of Medicine.
Web of Science (Core Collection) This link opens in a new window
NOTE: If prompted, please enter your MU credentials. Do not select “Institutional Sign In.” Clearing web browser cookies and cache may also fix access issues.
Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. The Web of Science Core Collection includes the following databases: Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (1990-present), Book Citation Index (2005-present), Emerging Sources Citation Index (2005-present), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-present), Index Chemicus (1993-present). Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.
BIOSIS Previews This link opens in a new window
BIOSIS Previews, accessed via Web of Science, combines journal content from Biological Abstracts with supplemental, non-journal coverage from Biological Abstracts/RRM (Reports, Reviews, Meetings). Specialized indexing helps you discover more accurate, context-sensitive results. Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.

Family Science and Social Work

SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Essential and authoritative database for sociology and related fields.
This index contains more than 1,900,000 records with subject headings from a 19,300 term sociology-specific thesaurus. This database also contains abstracts for more than 815 core coverage journals dating back to 1895. In addition, the database provides data mined from more than 630 priority coverage journals as well as 2,840 selective coverage journals. This index replaces Sociological Abstracts.
Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Social Work Abstracts, produced by the National Association of Social Workers, Inc., contains information on the social work field, including theory and practice, areas of service and social issues and problems. Additional topics include: addictions, child and family welfare, civil and legal rights, education, human services, mental health, therapy. 8 simultaneous users.

Gerontology

PubMed is built upon the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), which can be used in your search string to expand (or narrow) your searches more efficiently. You can use the following additional search term in this database, which can be copied and added to the larger string above with OR:

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

Similarly, CINAHL is built upon the CINAHL Subject Headings, which are used in the same way but are structured a bit differently. You can copy and add the following term to the larger string above with OR:

(MH "Neurodegenerative Diseases+")

APA PsycINFO is also built upon its own subject headings. You can copy and add the following terms to the larger search string above with OR:

(DE "Neurodegenerative Diseases") OR (DE "Neurodegeneration")

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive research database provides full-text for nursing and allied health journals indexed in CINAHL Plus. Additional materials include full-text evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons and continuing education modules.
Covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.
PsycINFO (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
PsycInfo is the world's largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. Produced by the American Psychological Association (APA), it is an indispensable tool for the discovery of global scholarly research.
Subject include: psychology, speech pathology and audiology, nursing, gerontology, social work, American studies, educational psychology, educational leadership, disability studies.
AGELINE This link opens in a new window
High quality resources focused on the older population. Includes policies, issues, theories of aging, and more.
It is a valuable source of information on the delivery of health care to the older population and its associated costs and policies are particularly well covered, as are public policy issues, theories of aging, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, marketing to older adults, elder care, Alzheimer’s, financial and retirement planning, fitness, nutrition, and housing.
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Essential and authoritative database for sociology and related fields.
This index contains more than 1,900,000 records with subject headings from a 19,300 term sociology-specific thesaurus. This database also contains abstracts for more than 815 core coverage journals dating back to 1895. In addition, the database provides data mined from more than 630 priority coverage journals as well as 2,840 selective coverage journals. This index replaces Sociological Abstracts.
Sociological Collection This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive collection of resources related to sociology.
The Sociological Collection is a comprehensive database covering information in all areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture and social structure. This database provides complete full-text for more than 500 journals, including more than 450 peer-reviewed titles with some full-text as far back as 1965.
Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making (e.g., systematic reviews). Cochrane Reviews represent the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions.

Kinesiology, Nutrition, & Health

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

(MH "Neurodegenerative Diseases+")

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive research database provides full-text for nursing and allied health journals indexed in CINAHL Plus. Additional materials include full-text evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons and continuing education modules.
Covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.
SPORTDiscus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
SPORTDiscus with full-text is the definitive database for sports and sports medicine research. Providing hundreds of full-text sports medicine journals, it is an essential tool for health professionals and researchers studying fitness, health and sports.
Subjects include: clinical specialties, coaching and education, consumer health, exercise science and fitness, health education, kinesiology, nutrition, occupational health and safety, physical education, physical therapy, and sports sciences.
Sports Medicine and Education Index This link opens in a new window
Sports Medicine and Education Index allows all researchers and professionals in the field to acquire accurate and scholarly information in this comprehensive database. These abstracts feature a wide variety of content, ranging from physical education curricula, to sports medicine, to dance. Other coverage includes sport law, kinesiology, motor learning, recreation, standardized fitness tests, sports equipment, business and marketing, coaching and training, and sport sociology/psychology. Health education and physical therapy are also covered as they continue to become more prevalent in our society.
Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making (e.g., systematic reviews). Cochrane Reviews represent the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions.

Neuroscience

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

Similarly, APA PsycINFO is built upon its own subject headings. You can copy and add the following terms to the larger search string above with OR:

(DE "Neurodegenerative Diseases") OR (DE "Neurodegeneration")

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
PsycINFO (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
PsycInfo is the world's largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. Produced by the American Psychological Association (APA), it is an indispensable tool for the discovery of global scholarly research.
Subject include: psychology, speech pathology and audiology, nursing, gerontology, social work, American studies, educational psychology, educational leadership, disability studies.
Web of Science (Core Collection) This link opens in a new window
NOTE: If prompted, please enter your MU credentials. Do not select “Institutional Sign In.” Clearing web browser cookies and cache may also fix access issues.
Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. The Web of Science Core Collection includes the following databases: Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (1990-present), Book Citation Index (2005-present), Emerging Sources Citation Index (2005-present), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-present), Index Chemicus (1993-present). Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.
Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making (e.g., systematic reviews). Cochrane Reviews represent the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions.

Nursing

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

(MH "Neurodegenerative Diseases+")

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive research database provides full-text for nursing and allied health journals indexed in CINAHL Plus. Additional materials include full-text evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons and continuing education modules.
Covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.
Health Source - Nursing / Academic Edition This link opens in a new window
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition is a trusted full-text database covering nursing and allied health topics, including pediatric nursing, critical care, mental health, nursing management, medical law and more.
, including full text from Creative Nursing, Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, Journal of Clinical Nursing, Journal of Community Health Nursing, Journal of Nursing Management, Nursing Ethics, Nursing Forum, Nursing Inquiry, and many more. In addition, this database includes the Lexi-PAL Drug Guide, which provides access to up-to-date, concise and clinically relevant drug monographs.
MedicLatina This link opens in a new window
Spanish language collection of full-text medical research and investigative journals published by Latin American medical publishers. Topics covered include neuroscience, cardiology, nephrology, biomedicine, clinical research, pediatrics, human reproduction, clinical pathology, cancer research, and hematology.
Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making (e.g., systematic reviews). Cochrane Reviews represent the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions.

Speech Pathology & Audiology

"Neurodegenerative Diseases"[mh]

(MH "Neurodegenerative Diseases+")

APA PsycINFO is also built upon its own subject headings. You can copy and add the following terms to the larger search string above with OR:

(DE "Neurodegenerative Diseases") OR (DE "Neurodegeneration")

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database, covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biomedical engineering, the health care system, and the basic biomedical sciences.
MEDLINE contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from biomedical journals published in the United States and other countries. The database contains citations dating back to the mid-1950's. Journal articles are indexed for MEDLINE using NLM's subject heading system, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).
PsycINFO (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
PsycInfo is the world's largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. Produced by the American Psychological Association (APA), it is an indispensable tool for the discovery of global scholarly research.
Subject include: psychology, speech pathology and audiology, nursing, gerontology, social work, American studies, educational psychology, educational leadership, disability studies.
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive research database provides full-text for nursing and allied health journals indexed in CINAHL Plus. Additional materials include full-text evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons and continuing education modules.
Covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.
Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Abstracts and indexes the international literature in linguistics and related disciplines in the language sciences covering all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Complete coverage is given to various fields of linguistics including descriptive, historical, comparative, theoretical and geographical linguistics. No full-text.
Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making (e.g., systematic reviews). Cochrane Reviews represent the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions.

Subject Librarians

If you have any questions about how to search any of these databases, feel free to contact your subject librarian! We are always happy to help. You can find a listing of subject librarians and their contact information at the link below.

Subject Librarians @ Miami