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A new study from University of St Andrews researchers shows that specific brain connections weaken early in a mouse model of ALS, offering fresh clues to how the disease begins. The team is supervised by Dr Matthew Broadhead and Prof Gareth Miles at University of St Andrews.
The following summary is provided by senior author Dr Matthew Broadhead, University of St Andrews.
The deterioration of movement seen in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the degeneration of motoneurons in the brain and spinal cord.
One of the reasons motoneurons degenerate is that the inputs they receive from other neurons called "synapses” become dysfunctional or degenerate. However, neurons receive such a wide and diverse array of different synaptic inputs from neurons throughout the nervous system - how do we know which ones are vulnerable in the disease?
This research used high-resolution fluorescence microscopy to reveal specific types of synapses that are vulnerable in a model of ALS. This will provide ALS researchers with a better understanding of which types of synaptic connections are vulnerable and may help identify potential therapeutic targets in the disease.
Relevant links
Read the scientific paper DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70320: Wiley Online Library (external website)
Prof Gareth Miles profile
Dr Matthew Broadhead profile (external website)
Funding
This research was funded by Tenovus Scotland, RS Macdonald Charitable Trust and The Lundbeck Foundation
Image credit: Dr Matthew Broadhead