The MND researchers at Trinity College Dublin are working to understand how ALS/MND affects the function of the brain using non-invasive tools like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Electromyography (EMG), and Electroencephalography (EEG). These methods do not involve needles, lying in tunnels or electrical shocks.
Their ongoing research looks at how the effects of MND on the brain can cause problems with movement, but also other skills like socialising or expressing ourselves. By improving their understanding of how MND causes these problems, they can identify more sensitive diagnostic tests and improve how they develop and test new drug interventions.
They are also interested in finding out how MND affects the brain differently for different people. To date, the one-size-fits-all approach to MND has been unsuccessful. Measuring differences in how MND affects the brain between individuals can help us understand why different people have different experiences of MND and if they require different treatments.
Moreover, they are researching if they can detect ALS before physical symptoms start, in individuals at higher risk. They are looking to find measurements of brain activity which tell them if early signs of ALS are emerging, or not, in people at a higher risk of MND due to their genetics. Such measurements could enable them to give therapies at an earlier stage, when little damage has been done and can be more easily repaired.
However, none of this is possible without volunteers from the community. They are inviting any individuals living with MND, as well as people who do not have MND, who are over the age of 30, to participate in their studies. They are also looking for volunteers above the age of 18 years old who have multiple blood relatives affected by MND. Your active involvement allows them to improve our understanding of MND and work towards potential treatments.
Please contact Dr Roisin Mac Mackin for more information.
