Research Projects
Understanding nerve cell damage in frontotemporal dementia
Awarded to:
Dr Kurt De Vos
Current award:
£305,539.60
Institution:
University of Sheffield
Dates:
2 September 2019 - 1 September 2022
Full project name:
Investigating a novel role of C9orf72 at the presynapse and its involvement in FTD/ALS
Diagnosis
Treatments
Understand
Risks
Symptoms
Researchers at the University of Sheffield are investigating why the communication between nerve cells is lost in frontotemporal dementia.
Nerve cells talk to each other through connections called synapses.
This communication is vital for our brains to carry out their functions.
Normally, our cells use a waste disposal system to remove damaged parts.
We are learning that this process might go wrong in frontotemporal dementia, damaging synapses and leading to the death of nerve cells.
This exciting project aims to understand how the waste disposal system goes wrong in frontotemporal dementia.
This is a vital first step in the development of possible new treatments targeting this system.
Frontotemporal dementia
Frontotemporal dementia or FTD (sometimes called Pick’s disease) is a relatively rare form of dementia.
