UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences

Professor Alan Thompson, Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, has recently been elected Chair of the Steering Committee of the International Progressive MS (multiple sclerosis) Collaborative. The Collaborative aims to expedite the development of effective disease modifying and symptom management therapies for progressive forms of MS and is an initiative of a number of MS International Federation (MSIF) member organisations and includes the MS Societies of Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Professor Thompson commented: “This is a unique opportunity to bring together researchers from around the world to tackle what is the most challenging area in MS – both for researchers and those affected by the condition. I am delighted to be invited to chair this expert group but don’t underestimate how difficult it is going to be to make a real impact on progression.”

 Professor Dimitri Kullmann (UCL Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy) and Dr Laura Mantoan (UCL Institute of Neurology) talk about a new technique known as optogenetics, which involves using light to stimulate neural activity in the brain. Listen: BBC R4 Today (from 1hr 22m) More: BBC News

Scientists have revealed the minutely detailed pain map of the hand that is contained within our brains, shedding light on how the brain makes us feel discomfort and potentially increasing our understanding of the processes involved in chronic pain. 

Thousands of stroke survivors with visual problems could improve their sight from the comfort of their own home using two new web-based therapies.

The UCL Grand Challenges Small Grants Scheme invites applications to fund cross-disciplinary projects in Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.

Researchers at the UCL Institute of Neurology have made a breakthrough in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.  The researchers used gene therapy in an experimental model of epilepsy to allow over-excitable neurons to be inhibited by light. When they shone a laser via an optical fibre into the epileptic brain region where the gene therapy was delivered, the seizures were rapidly suppressed. For long-term treatment they used a different gene therapy to make neurons in the epileptic brain regions less excitable. This treatment both prevented the development of epilepsy, and also progressively stopped seizures when delivered after epilepsy was already established. These treatments had no detectable effects on normal behaviour. 

New drugs derived from components of a specific diet used by children with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy could offer a new treatment, according to research published today in the journal Neuropharmacology.

Scientists have discovered a rare genetic mutation that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The international team, led by researchers at the UCL Institute of Neurology, studied data from more than 25,000 people and found a link between a rare variant of the TREM2 gene – which is known to play a role in the immune system – and a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

A new study in the journal Neuron reveals how the brain stores information about who’s who in the social pecking order.

The results of the UCL Research Frontiers contest have been announced, celebrating the fact that curiosity-driven discovery and analysis has been a feature of UCL from its foundation.