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Glossary - E to H
This section of the glossary contains words beginning with E, F or G. There are currently no terms in the glossary beginning with H.
Some definitions include words marked in bold. These words have their own definition within the glossary.
Embryonic stem cells
Stem cells found during the very earliest stages of development; they go on to develop into an embryo. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to grow into any type of cell.
Emotional lability
Emotional instability, a tendency to change mood very quickly and laugh or cry very easily.
Excitotoxicity
A possible cause of motor neurone destruction in MND. It occurs when the signals between nerves become too strong because there is too much of a particular neurotransmitter known as glutamate, which relays impulses from one nerve cell to the next.
Familial MND
MND caused by genetic damage, or mutation, which is passed down from one generation to another. Around 10% of all MND cases are familial MND. Compare sporadic MND. Find out more about how much of MND is inherited.
Fasciculation
Muscle twitching caused by small involuntary contractions of muscle fibres; can be a symptom of MND but also experienced by many otherwise healthy individuals.
Free radicals
Hilghly reactive toxic molecules that are formed during energy production within a cell. They are usually made safe by antioxidants.
GDNF (Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor)
A type of neurotrophic factor (nerve-nourishing substance) that is made by nervous system support cells known as glial cells.
Gene
A unit of biological information, composed of DNA, which holds the instructions to make a particular protein. Genes are passed from one generation to the next.
Gene therapy
Treatment of a disease by introducing a replacement gene into a cell. The new gene may be used to replace a function that is missing because of a defective gene. Alternatively, gene therapy may put extra copies of an existing gene into a cell to boost production of a helpful substance.
