Neurobiology

Scientific research

The laboratory of neurology is connected to the program of neuromuscular diseases and performs both clinical and basic research on the epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology and treatment of neuromuscular diseases. The main interest of this laboratory is motor neuron disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease).

Clinical reasearch

epidemiology and genetics of ALS (W. Robberecht)
treatment of ALS (W. Robberecht)
the molecular basis of muscle illness (W. Robberecht)

Basic research

Goal

Basic research concentrates on the pathophysiology and the possible treatment strategies of ALS, wich are studied using in vitro and in vivo models.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disorder characterised by the loss of peripheral (lower) and central (upper) motorneurons. The disease is hereditary in 10% of the patients.

The clinical features are cramps and fasciculations, muscle weakness, muscle atrophy and spasticity.

The muscle weakness can appear in the arms or legs (spinal form) or in the mouth-throat area (bulbar form). This disease is progressive in nature, but the course differs in individual patients. Men are affected slightly more often than women (1,4:1). The average age when the disease appears is 58 years. The number of new patients with ALS in European countries is 2-3 per 100.000 a year.

The research group studies ALS by means of animal models and motoneurons in culture.