Neurodegeneration Diseases and Brain Injury Research

Brain disorders are among the most serious health problems facing modern society. Many of these disorders become more common with advancing age, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and many others. The burden of these neurodegenerative diseases is growing inexorably as the population ages, with enormous economic and human costs.

Some neurodegenerative conditions, such as Huntington's disease or familial ALS, have clear genetic causes. Others involve complex interactions of genetic and environmental influences that can affect the brain in many ways. Our work at the McGovern Institute spans the gamut from genetic studies of
animal models to imaging studies of human clinical patients. We are working to understand the basic brain mechanisms that are affected by these diseases and to understand how the brain responds to therapeutic interventions. The answers to these fundamental questions will form the foundation for new
treatments for these diseases.