$125,000 awarded to Dr. Freimut Juengling, in collaboration with Dr. Sanjay Kalra and Dr. Ralf Schirrmacher, University of Alberta.
A well-known neuroprotective substance, called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), is activated in the brain by a receptor called tropomyosin related kinase B (TrkB). Studies have shown that disturbances in the BDNF/TrkB pathway can be present in some neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. However, previous efforts of targeting and increasing BDNF production as a way to protect dying motor neurons in ALS have been unsuccessful. In fact, emerging evidence suggests that increasing this pathway may actually make motor neurons more vulnerable to damage and injury, by overstimulating them (a process referred to as hyperexcitability).
With this grant, Dr. Juengling and his team seek to better understand how the BDNF/TrkB pathway may impact motor neuron vulnerability and survival. Researchers will measure changes in BDNF/TrkB signalling in 30 people living with ALS, all at different stages of the disease. For this, they will use a sophisticated imaging technique that combines PET (positron emission tomography) with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which allows researchers to map changes within the brain as the disease progresses.
The results gained from this study will provide the research community with a better understanding of the role of BDNF/TrkB signalling in ALS and help to answer the question of whether this pathway should be boosted or supressed when exploring new therapeutic avenues for treating the disease.