A NEW discovery in motor neurone disease (MND) and dementia research could help pave the way to novel treatments, scientists say.
A study from the University of Sheffield has identified a new mechanism which could help slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as MND, dementia and neurological decline associated with ageing.
Leading researchers from the university’s Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MBB) and the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) have identified that tuning up the activity pathway of the DNA’s natural repair toolkit – which normally helps to restore breakages in our genetic material - could help to prevent the death of nerve cells which trigger neurological diseases.
Joint director of the study, Professor El-Khamisy said: “We were able to shut down the out-of-control degradation process, which runs down the cell’s ability to fix genomic breaks, using genetic techniques.
“Even though the DNA was still damaged, the cells were able to cope and did not die. Discovering this new mechanism and its consequence is a significant step towards developing new therapies for motor neurone disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.”
There are over 450 people in Scotland currently living with MND and on average over 160 new cases of MND are diagnosed each year. Even though there has been research into the cause of motor neurone disease, it is still difficult to identify a particular trigger for the disease.
Symptoms include a weakened grip, weakness at the shoulder that makes lifting the arm difficult, a “foot drop” caused by weak ankle muscles, a dragging of the leg or slurred speech. 
The average life expectancy of a MND sufferer from diagnosis is just 14 months. 
However, there are cases which have surpassed expectations. Professor Stephen Hawking, who has now 75, was first diagnosed with MND when he was 21-years-old and was given two years to live.
He credits the NHS and a “large amount of high-quality treatment” he had received.