Can we stop MS and ALS? | Michael C. Levin | TEDxUniversityofSaskatchewan

TL;DR

Nerve cells in people with MS and ALS become sick and injured due to the malfunction of protein A1. Medications can prevent nerve cell loss and promote regeneration, potentially leading to improved symptoms.

Transcript

[Applause] how do nerve cells work and so we begin to understand how nerve cells work let's use our nerve cells I'd like everyone to wiggle their toes I'm going to wiggle my toes what just happened well what you just did is you signal a nerve cell in the front of your brain and that nerve cell sends a branch all the way down to your spinal cord whe... Read More

Key Insights

• ☠️ Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects almost three million people globally and has high rates in places like Saskatchewan, Canada.
• 🥺 MS is characterized by relapses, or random attacks of neurologic dysfunction, leading to disability over time.
• 👯 The abnormality of protein A1 in nerve cells in people with MS and ALS triggers nerve cell injury and sickness.
• 🌸 Inventing medications that restore normal A1 function in nerve cells can prevent nerve cell loss and promote regeneration.
• 🥹 The medications developed for MS may also hold promise for treating ALS, another disease with abnormal A1 protein.
• 🥺 Research into the role of A1 and similar proteins in nerve cell health may lead to new ways of preventing nerve cell sickness in neurologic diseases.
• 👯 The goal is to design these medications for clinical trials in the next three to five years to improve the lives of people with MS and ALS.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do nerve cells work in the body?

Nerve cells send signals from the brain to different parts of the body, allowing for movement. In people with MS, nerve cells become sick, leading to difficulties in movement.

Q: Can MS be cured?

While MS cannot be cured, medications that target the malfunctioning protein A1 in nerve cells can prevent further damage and promote nerve cell regeneration, potentially improving symptoms.

Q: What are the symptoms of MS?

Symptoms of MS include blurred vision, numbness or paralysis in the legs, acute bouts of pain, decreased quality of life, trouble with employment, difficulty with intimacy, and mobility issues.

Q: How do the medications developed for MS work?

The medications target the abnormality of protein A1 in nerve cells. By restoring its function to the nucleus, these medications can prevent nerve cell loss and promote nerve cell regeneration, potentially improving symptoms.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Nerve cells in the brain send signals to the spinal cord and other parts of the body, allowing for movement. In people with multiple sclerosis (MS), these nerve cells become sick and it becomes difficult to perform basic movements like wiggling toes.

• The discovery of protein A1 and its abnormality in people with MS led to the development of medications that can restore normal function to nerve cells and promote nerve cell regeneration.

• The same medications may also be effective in treating other neurologic diseases like ALS, where A1 is also abnormal.