Glial engulfment of human synapses in MND

About the project

Glial cells, a type of cell found in the brain and spinal cord, help to ensure that neurons are functioning correctly and maintain connections between neurons and muscles. In some neurological diseases, glial cells become toxic and consume synapses (connections which enable messages to be sent from one neuron to another to be passed to the muscles) causing these connections to be lost. This project aims to investigate the link between toxic glial cells and synapse loss in MND using cell models and post mortem brain tissue to observe the action of the toxic glial cells on synapses.

What does this mean for people living with MND?

It will provide new insights into the role that glial cells play in MND and may potentially highlight ways to delay or prevent synapse loss which could help to slow the progression of the disease.