University of Exeter leads the way in ALS Research

molecular markers of ALS.

Charlie Gershinson News Editor

FORMER Penzance football player and manager Dean Mooney of Penzance, Cornwall is one of several participants in a year-long study concerning ALS (or motor neurone disease) which is being run by the University of Exeter.

The study is being led by the University of Exeter’s worldleading Neurodegeneration Imaging Group and Professor Marios Politis. The research carried out will include cuttingedge PET and MRI scans in the London-based Invicro Imaging Centre on the Hammersmith Hospital Campus. Researchers are aiming to identify and track the operations of disease in people living with ALS compared with healthy volunteers, to evaluate

The study is being run in cooperation between the University and the MIND MAPS programme, a “pre-competitive collaborative programme” between Invicro, a world-renowned imaging company, leading UK academic research centres and pharmaceutical collaborators such as Biogen and Pfizer.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to damage to motor neurones across the body. As the disease progresses, it weakens a person’s ability to operate their body willingly as they first notice muscle weakness but progress to losing the ability to walk, speak, swallow and eventually breathe.

One of those affected by

ALS and participating in the study is Mooney, 52. Dean’s first symptoms included a stiffness in his left hand and a minor tremor in his arm. He initially dismissed the symptoms, but a neurologist would diagnose him with ALS in 2020.

Hearing about the Exeter research, Dean felt he had to sign up, saying “There’s a lot of talk in the media about a potential treatment for motor neurone disease. Let’s be real — it probably won’t benefit me in my lifetime, but if I can spare anyone else having to go through this, I’ll do whatever it takes to help get that research over the line.”

After retiring from football, Dean used his dentistry degree to work as the Principal Dentist at the Bay Dental Practice in Penzance. He leads an active lifestyle, regularly sailing and even continued running until Christmas

2021. Professor Politis said: “I’d like to extend our extreme gratitude to Dean, and other volunteers who are helping us to find answers and treatments for this cruel disease. Our findings will provide understanding related to the cause of the disease and help to track its progression over time. Most importantly the findings will help with the discovery of new targets for the development of treatments for motor neurone disease.”

Our findings will provide understanding related to the cause of [ALS]

Professor Marios Politis

When Exeposé reached out for comment, Professor Politis said: “Our team is world-leading on cutting-edge brain imaging, which is helping us make great strides in understanding diseases such as

MND. It’s a terrible disease, and we’re so grateful to the participants who have come forward. We need even more people, to help us understand the cause of the disease and help to track its progression over time. Most importantly the findings will help with the discovery of new targets for the development of treatments for motor neurone disease.”

Dean and Professor Politis are still encouraging those with ALS to come forward to aid the study, so long as they are between 25-85 years of age, able to give informed consent, can complete visual and auditory assessments and have no history of other significant neurological or psychological disorders. Volunteers will be compensated, with all necessary travel and accommodation paid for and a sum of £100 per visit up to £800.