Scientists have discovered a previously unknown biochemical change that occurs in the brain cells of patients with motor neurone disease (MND), contributing to the rapid neurodegeneration that characterizes this devastating disease. Though still in the early stages of investigation, it’s hoped the discovery could be pivotal in developing treatments that could “change the course of the disease” by halting the progression of symptoms following diagnosis.
The discovery centers around biochemical changes to a protein called TDP-43 that’s found in every cell of the body but plays a particularly vital role in the cells in our brains that control voluntary muscle movement. These brain cells are called motor neurons, and they are key to the disease progression seen in MND.
