Getting the Balance Right: Targeting Excitatory Dysfunction in the ALS Cortex

Host: Professor John Bekkers

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset motor neuron disease and is characterised by the selective degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons in the motor cortex, brain stem and spinal cord. Traditionally considered a pure motor neuron disease, increasing evidence highlights the overwhelming failure of cortical inhibitory interneurons to appropriately support motor neuron function and health. Destabilisation of interneuron function and associated hyperexcitability of the motor cortex is one of the earliest pathophysiological events, however, little is known about the vulnerability of interneuron populations. Our recent research focuses on two specific populations, the parvalbumin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) interneurons and seeks to determine the structural and molecular changes that contribute to disease and to trial new therapeutics targeted at correcting failed inhibition in ALS.

Biography

Professor Dickson (BSc, PhD) is a neuroscientist with a national and international reputation in determining the pathological basis underlying Motor Neuron Disease, Parkinson’s disease and the neuronal response to trauma. She is the Director of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. In addition to her leadership roles she continues to lead an ambitious and productive research team at Menzies consisting of three post-docs, three PhD students, one research assistant and one honours student, with current CIA funding from the NHMRC Ideas and the ARC Discovery Schemes. Professor Dickson was previously an NHMRC Career Development Fellow and CJ Martin Postdoctoral Fellow. Professor Dickson has an excellent record in supervising HDR students. She is currently supervisor of three PhD students, with over twenty completions.