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Neurodegenerative disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders are conditions in which cells in the brain break down, causing problems with how people move, think, feel or behave.

Introduction

This diverse group of conditions includes motor neurone disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.

Our research aims to understand the causes of neurodegenerative disorders and work towards new treatments for these conditions.

Our research

Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with cell death in the brain. Cell death could be a direct cause of neurodegenerative disorders or a consequence of other processes that damage brain cells.

Our researchers are:

  • finding genes responsible for neurodegenerative disorders
  • studying how cell death occurs and how it impacts on neurodegenerative disorders
  • developing drugs to block cell death in neurodegenerative disorders
  • investigating how the immune system contributes to neurodegenerative disorders.

We are also performing research relevant to other conditions with altered brain function, such as:

  • studying normal brain development and how this is altered in intellectual disability syndromes
  • exploring how a common parasite changes brain cells and how this could contribute to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

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Illuminate Summer 2023
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