Examining the unique susceptibility of neurons in Motor Neuron Disease (MND)

Motor neuron disease (MND) is a devastating disorder caused by the death of motor neurons. There is no effective treatment for this disease, however useful therapeutic targets are most likely to result by a thorough understanding the early and underlying cellular pathologies. One early pathology common to the diverse forms of MND is disruption in the movement of proteins within neurons. Neurons are particularly reliant on transport of proteins because of their large cell volume and high metabolism. The aim of this proposal is to understand the underlying cause of transport inhibition in different compartments of motor neurons. This study will identify novel molecular mechanisms that may become highly effective therapeutic targets.