A LEADING Irish neurologist is to receive a prestigious award from the American Academy of Neurology for her research into the causes and treatment of motor neurone disease (MND).
Consultant neurologist at Beaumont Hospital Prof Orla Hardiman has made several significant discoveries in the area of neurodegeneration, including the identification of a gene for MND.
Her research, which is funded by the Health Research Board, has found that particular variations in genes make certain populations more susceptible to the disease than others.
Prof Hardiman will be presented with the Sheila Essey Award, which recognises significant contributions in the search for the cause, prevention of, and cure for MND, by the academy at a ceremony in Seattle today.
Prof Hardiman told The Irish Times that while there was currently no treatment to arrest the progression of this debilitating disease, significant advances had been made in the treatment and management of symptoms. She said her team’s research had shown that specialist clinics with multidisciplined teams devoted to treating MND improved survival and quality of life for patients.
The disease, which causes a gradual degradation and death of motor neurons, affects about 200 Irish people, with some 80 new cases reported each year.
Her study of Irish patients has revealed that cognitive impairment occurs in about 50 per cent of sufferers, and that the genes that cause this impairment may be related to genes for MND.
Another aspect of her research, which has received a good deal of international attention, is the discovery that the rate of MND in populations of mixed-ancestral origins, such as those found in the Caribbean, is significantly lower than in more homogenous populations.
“Our preliminary data would suggest the Irish population might have a higher susceptibility because we’re relatively more related to each other,” she said.
Prof Hardiman believes this may also be the case for more common neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. “The more we understand about the genes that make us prone to neurodegeneration in general, the more likely we are to find new treatments,” she said.
She said the $25,000 (€19,036) award was a great honour for her research team and the money would help further develop the ongoing work.
