Movement, Muscle, and Mind

Our ability to move is controlled by cells in our brain and spinal cord called motor neurons. These cells talk to each other across billions of tiny junctions called synapses. But what happens if these essential connections fail? Synapse loss is one of the earliest changes linked to Motor Neuron Disease (MND), but we don’t know when, where or why this happens. Join us as we explore the inner workings of the brain and uncover how disconnection affects our ability to move. You will also hear how scientists in Dundee are using fruit flies to discover ways to protect these essential synapses.

Motor neuron disease (MND) refers to a group of disorders associated with loss of nerve cells which regulate movement. Loss of connections between nerve cells, called synapses, appears early in the disease, and may be a new treatment strategy. However, exactly how this synapse loss occurs remains unclear. My research studies the when and why of synapse loss in MND, using drosophila melanogaster due to the various benefits of them as a model organism. Using fruit flies, we track the progression of symptoms and identify how possible disease modifiers affect different aspects of the disease.

Glial cells are essential support cells in the brain that nourish neurons, regulate their environment, and help maintain normal function. In neurodegenerative diseases, however, they can become overactive and harmful. Instead of protecting neurons, they release toxic molecules and begin breaking down surrounding tissue, including synapses and healthy cells. This disrupts brain communication and accelerates damage, contributing to disease progression and loss of function. In this talk, I will introduce glial cells and show how they shift from being supporters to enemies. 

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a childhood motor neuron disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness due to the loss of nerve cells. Unlike Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), most cases of SMA are caused due to a mutation of a single gene (survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1)) causing a low expression of the protein SMN. Because of this single genetic cause, several treatments targeting this gene are now available that help preserve the motor neuron and improve muscle function.