New Imaging technique effectively measures mitochondrial dysfunction in motor neuron disease
Researchers from the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) have used a new imaging technique to measure the function of mitochondria in patients with motor neuron disease (MND).
The research, published today (13 January 2021) in the journal Brain could provide new ways to assess the effectiveness of treatments currently in development for MND.
Researchers used an advanced imaging technique called 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure chemicals that are crucial to energy metabolism in the cell. The research was conducted on patients living with MND as well as age and gender matched healthy controls. The patient perceives the procedure as a standard MRI scan but researchers are able to gain a direct measurement of chemicals so that they can calculate a comprehensive picture of the energy status in patients with MND.
MND, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as it is also known, is a disorder that affects the nerves - motor neurons - in the brain and spinal cord that form the connection between the nervous system and muscles to enable movement of the body. The messages from these nerves gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste.
There are many barriers to developing effective treatments for MND as we don't yet fully understand how or why it develops in the first place. However, there is good evidence from laboratory data and disease models that the mitochondria - or powerhouses of the cell - may be impaired.
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