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Prof Alan Thompson

Summary

Alan Thompson is Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, and Programme Director for Neurological Disorders, UCL Partners Academic Health Science Centre.  He is an NIHR Senior Investigator, honorary consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, a Guarantor of Brain, and Editor-in-Chief of Multiple Sclerosis Journal.  Alan Thompson  has an H-index of 86 (Research ID C-2654-2008), and is ranked 22nd in the Essential Science Indicators section for Neuroscience and Behavior.  He received his undergraduate degrees in 1979 and MD in 1985 from Trinity College Dublin, was elected FRCP in 1994, FRCPI in 1995, FAAN in 2009, and received an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University, Belgium, in 2008.  He was awarded the 'Pioneer of the Nation' award at Buckingham Palace in 2003.  His MD on immunological and biochemical markers of disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrated for the first time active demyelination shown by the detection of breakdown products of myelin basic protein in the CSF in the absence of clinical symptoms.  His post-doctorate research has been at the UCL Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital, Queen Square, where he carried out the first serial MRI studies of the natural history of individual disease groups in MS, demonstrating the value of MRI in monitoring the disease process, and developed protocols used internationally for the use of MRI in assessing the effectiveness of new treatments. He has developed MR techniques which improve pathological specificity, and developed techniques for measuring spinal cord atrophy and cerebral atrophy (indicating axonal loss).  He has identified the unique characteristics of the primary progressive MS group, and is a member of a group of international experts who defined diagnostic criteria for MS in 2001, 2005 and 2010.   In 1998 Alan Thompson was appointed to the first chair of Clinical Neurology and Neurorehabilitation in the UK, and in 2007 established and led the Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at the UCL Institute of Neurology.  He is chair of MSIF's International Medical and Scientific Board, Chair of the Steering Committee for the International Progressive MS Collaborative, a member of the National MS Society (USA)'s Research Programs Advisory Committee, and a Guarantor of Brain. 

Research Summary

Heads group using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the underlying pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS), measure brain atrophy, and establish reliable markers for disease progression and extent of disability.  Methods are being developed to measure grey matter atrophy and abnormalities accurately, which, when incorporated into clinical trials as an outcome measure, will allow effective treatments to be identified, and show the likely relationship between grey matter atrophy and physical disability and cognitive impairment.




With Dr Olga Ciccarelli studies mechanisms of damage in acute lesions affecting the motor tracts and, in particular, the effect they have on the axons that traverse them.  New research hopes to establish the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in MS and whether the reversibility of mitochondrial dysfunction causes clinical improvement in MS patients.    With Dr Ahmed Toosy studies structural/functional recovery mechanisms following optic neuritis to develop new strategies to enhance recovery and identify effective treatments.  Collaborates with Dr Patrick Freund and team using imaging to identify morphometric changes which may predict clinical recovery after spinal cord injury.  Supports Bernadette Porter, MS Nurse Consultant, in developing NeuroResponse, providing high quality telecare to patients with MS.




Member of international group of experts who have published criteria for the diagnosis of MS.  Leads research to define the imaging characteristics, diagnostic criteria, and underlying disease progression for primary progressive multiple sclerosis, using a unique cohort of patients.




As Programme Director for the Neurological Disorders theme for UCL Partners oversees development of the stroke service, applying a quality metric across the entire pathway with Dr Charlie Davie.  A combined research and clinical strategy for brain cancer has culminated in a unified, single-site neurosurgical service and a dedicated Brain Tumour Centre for North Central London, and a collaborative research programme with the Cancer Institute.  Work continues to commission the entire pathway and to identify quality metrics.  Research into neurodegenerative disease is developing to enhance understanding, diagnosis, and treatment, and to create a dedicated national resource for testing novel therapies.  Using a combination of novel biomarkers, at-risk cohorts, and sensitive and precise measures of progression, early proof of concept studies are planned which will involve an interdisciplinary, cross-disease approach to identify potential disease-modifying therapies.




Work on Neurological Outcome Measures focuses on the development, evaluation, and application of rating scales to measure health outcomes, predominantly from the patients' perspective.  Amongst the achievements are the MS Walking Scale, which contributed to the recent approval of a symptomatic treatment for MS (Fampridine), validation of a generic walking scale, and the MS Impact Scale (MSIS-29 with Professor Jeremy Hobart), The MS Impact Scale and the MS Walking Scale are used in clinical trials and epidemiological studies world-wide.




In neurological disability management, Alan Thompson has worked on Quality Standards (2005); the MS World Atlas (with WHO/MSIF, 2008), and the Global Economic Study (with MSIF, 2010).  He is currently part of the WHO Advisory Group revising the ICD-10 for Neurological Disorders.  The Neurological Rehabilitation Unit studies goal-setting and vocational rehabilitation (Dr Diane Playford), treatment of MS relapses (Dr Jeremy Chataway, Bernie Porter), and spasticity (Dr Val Stevenson).    









 

Research Activities

  • Clinical Neurology
  • MRI-Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Neurological Outcomes Measures
  • Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Recent Publications

Displaying 50 most recent publications. For the full list please visit UCL Discovery

  1. Ciccarelli O,Thomas D,De Vita E,Wheeler-Kingshott C,Kachramanoglou C,Kapoor R,Leary S,Matthews L,Palace J,Chard D,Miller D,Toosy A,Thompson A (2013) Low myo-inositol indicating astrocytic damage in a case series of NMO. Ann Neurol. 10.1002/ana.23909.
  2. Freund P,Curt A,Friston K,Thompson A (2013) Tracking changes following spinal cord injury: insights from neuroimaging. Neuroscientist, 19(2), 116 - 128. 10.1177/1073858412449192.
  3. Bodini B,Cercignani M,Khaleeli Z,Miller DH,Ron M,Penny S,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2013) Corpus callosum damage predicts disability progression and cognitive dysfunction in primary-progressive MS after five years. Hum Brain Mapp, 34(5), 1163 - 1172. 10.1002/hbm.21499.
  4. Kachramanoglou C,De Vita E,Thomas DL,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Balteau E,Carlstedt T,Choi D,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2013) Metabolic changes in the spinal cord after brachial plexus root re-implantation. Neurorehabil Neural Repair, 27(2), 118 - 124. 10.1177/1545968312457825.
  5. Thompson AJ,Giovannoni G (2013) Removal of access to alemtuzumab for patients with aggressive multiple sclerosis. BMJ, 346, f275.
  6. Thompson A,Antel J,Carroll W (2013) Message from the editors. Mult Scler, 19(1), 2. 10.1177/1352458512473206.
  7. Tur C,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Altmann DR,Miller DH,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2012) Spatial variability and changes of metabolite concentrations in the cortico-spinal tract in multiple sclerosis using coronal CSI. Hum Brain Mapp. 10.1002/hbm.22229.
  8. Connick P,Kolappan M,Crawley C,Webber DJ,Patani R,Michell AW,Du M-Q,Luan S-L,Altmann DR,Thompson AJ,Compston A,Scott MA,Miller DH,Chandran S (2012) Autologous mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: an open-label phase 2a proof-of-concept study Lancet Neurology, 11(2), 150 - 156. 10.1016/S1474-4422(11)70305-2.
  9. Freund P,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Nagy Z,Gorgoraptis N,Weiskopf N,Friston K,Thompson AJ,Hutton C (2012) Axonal integrity predicts cortical reorganisation following cervical injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 83(6), 629 - 637. 10.1136/jnnp-2011-301875.
  10. Marsden J,Ramdharry G,Stevenson V,Thompson A (2012) Muscle paresis and passive stiffness: Key determinants in limiting function in Hereditary and Sporadic Spastic Paraparesis GAIT & POSTURE, 35(2), 266 - 271. 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.09.018.
  11. Schofield TM,Penny WD,Stephan KE,Crinion JT,Thompson AJ,Price CJ,Leff AP (2012) Changes in auditory feedback connections determine the severity of speech processing deficits after stroke. J Neurosci, 32(12), 4260 - 4270. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4670-11.2012.
  12. Porter B,Thompson A (2012) Connecting to the future - the promise of telecare MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL, 18(4), 384 - 386. 10.1177/1352458512441273.
  13. Morley D,Selai C,Thompson A (2012) The self-report Barthel Index: preliminary validation in people with Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurol, 19(6), 927 - 929. 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2011.03592.x.
  14. Dalton CM,Bodini B,Samson RS,Battaglini M,Fisniku LK,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O,Miller DH,Chard DT (2012) Brain lesion location and clinical status 20 years after a diagnosis of clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler, 18(3), 322 - 328. 10.1177/1352458511420269.
  15. Bodini B,Cercignani M,Toosy A,De Stefano N,Miller DH ,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2012) A novel approach with “skeletonised MTR” measures tract-specific microstructural changes in early primary-progressive MS Human Brain Mapping.
  16. Fox RJ,Thompson A,Baker D,Baneke P,Browne D,Chandraratna D,Ciccarelli O,Coetzee T,Comi G,Feinstein A,Kapoor R,Lee K,Salvetti M,Sharrock K,Toosy A,Zaratin P,Zuidwijk K (2012) Setting a research agenda for progressive multiple sclerosis: The International Collaborative on Progressive MS Multiple Sclerosis.
  17. Cohen JA,Reingold SC,Polman CH,Wolinsky JS,Int Adv Cmmttee on Clinical Trials in MS (2012) Disability outcome measures in multiple sclerosis clinical trials: current status and future prospects Lancet Neurology, 11(5), 467 - 476. 10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70059-5.
  18. Tozer DJ,Chard DT,Bodini B,Ciccarelli O,Miller DH,Thompson AJ,Wheeler-Kingshott CAM (2012) Linking white matter tracts to associated cortical grey matter: a tract extension methodology NeuroImage, 59(4), 3094 - 3102. 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.10.088.
  19. Muhlert N,Atzori M,De Vita E,Thomas D,Geurts JJG,Wheeler-Kingshott CAM,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2011) Quantification of glutamate in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus and its relationship with cognitive performance in MS.
  20. Tur C,Khaleeli Z,Ciccarelli O,Altmann DR,Cercignani M,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2011) Complementary roles of grey matter MTR and T2 lesions in predicting progression in early PPMS. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(4), 423 - 428. 10.1136/jnnp.2010.209890.
  21. Freund P,Weiskopf N,Ward NS,Hutton C,Gall A,Ciccarelli O,Craggs M,Friston K,Thompson AJ (2011) Disability, atrophy and cortical reorganization following spinal cord injury. Brain, 134(Pt 6), 1610 - 1622. 10.1093/brain/awr093.
  22. Panchani J,Adjei P,Henneberger C,Scott CA,Thompson AJ,Diehl B,Walker MC,Surges R (2011) Asymmetric hemispheric representation of periictal heart rate modulation is individually lateralised. Epileptic Disord, 13(2), 172 - 176. 10.1684/epd.2011.0430.
  23. Anderson VM,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Abdel-Aziz K,Miller DH,Toosy A,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2011) A comprehensive assessment of cerebellar damage in multiple sclerosis using diffusion tractography and volumetric analysis. Mult Scler, 17(9), 1079 - 1087. 10.1177/1352458511403528.
  24. Connick P,Kolappan M,Patani R,Scott MA,Crawley C,He XL,Richardson K,Barber K,Webber DJ,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Tozer DJ,Samson RS,Thomas DL,Du MQ,Luan SL,Michell AW,Altmann DR,Thompson AJ,Miller DH,Compston A,Chandran S (2011) The mesenchymal stem cells in multiple sclerosis (MSCIMS) trial protocol and baseline cohort characteristics: an open-label pre-test: post-test study with blinded outcome assessments. Trials, 12, 62. 10.1186/1745-6215-12-62.
  25. Jenkins TM,Ciccarelli O,Atzori M,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Miller DH,Thompson AJ,Toosy AT (2011) Early pericalcarine atrophy in acute optic neuritis is associated with conversion to multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(9), 1017 - 1021. 10.1136/jnnp.2010.239715.
  26. Polman CH,Reingold SC,Banwell B,Clanet M,Cohen JA,Filippi M,Fujihara K,Havrdova E,Hutchinson M,Kappos L,Lublin FD,Montalban X,O'Connor P,Sandberg-Wollheim M,Thompson AJ,Waubant E,Weinshenker B,Wolinsky JS (2011) Diagnostic Criteria for Multiple Sclerosis: 2010 Revisions to the McDonald Criteria ANN NEUROL, 69(2), 292 - 302. 10.1002/ana.22366.
  27. Freund P,Rothwell JC,Craggs M,Thompson AJ,Bestmann S (2011) Corticomotor representation to human arm muscle changes following cervical spinal cord injury European Journal of Neuroscience. 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07895.x.
  28. Hardy J,Thompson AJ (2011) Dissecting the familial risk of multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol, 69(1), 11 - 12. 10.1002/ana.22353.
  29. Isaacs JD,Bodini B,Ciccarelli O,Scadding GK,Thompson AJ (2011) Atopic myelitis in a European woman residing in Japan. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(9), 1022 - 1024. 10.1136/jnnp.2009.186775.
  30. Bonati U,Fisniku LK,Altmann DR,Yiannakas MC,Furby J,Thompson AJ,Miller DH,Chard DT (2011) Cervical cord and brain grey matter atrophy independently associate with long-term MS disability. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(4), 471 - 472. 10.1136/jnnp.2010.205021.
  31. Aguirregomozcorta M,Mancini L,Jenkins TM,Hickman SJ,Ciccarelli O,Plant GT,Thompson AJ,Toosy AT (2011) A longitudinal functional MRI study of non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(8), 905 - 913. 10.1136/jnnp.2009.194563.
  32. Bodini B,Battaglini M,De Stefano N,Khaleeli Z,Barkhof F,Chard D,Filippi M,Montalban X,Polman C,Rovaris M,Rovira A,Samson R,Miller D,Thompson A,Ciccarelli O (2011) T2 lesion location really matters: a 10 year follow-up study in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 82(1), 72 - 77. 10.1136/jnnp.2009.201574.
  33. Chard DT,Dalton CM,Swanton J,Fisniku LK,Miszkiel KA,Thompson AJ,Plant GT,Miller DH (2011) MRI only conversion to multiple sclerosis following a clinically isolated syndrome J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, 82(2), 176 - 179. 10.1136/jnnp.2010.208660.
  34. Riazi A,Porter B,Chataway J,Thompson AJ,Hobart JC (2011) A tool to measure the attributes of receiving IV therapy in a home versus hospital setting: the Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Management Scale (MSRMS). Health Qual Life Outcomes, 9, 80. 10.1186/1477-7525-9-80.
  35. Morley D,Selai C,Schrag A,Jahanshahi M,Thompson A (2011) Adolescent and adult children of parents with Parkinson's disease: incorporating their needs in clinical guidelines. Parkinsons Dis, 2011, 951874. 10.4061/2011/951874.
  36. Tur C,Penny S,Khaleeli Z,Altmann DR,Cipolotti L,Ron M,Thompson AJ,Ciccarelli O (2011) Grey matter damage and overall cognitive impairment in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler, 17(11), 1324 - 1332. 10.1177/1352458511410341.
  37. Ciccarelli O,Toosy AT,De Stefano N,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2010) Assessing neuronal metabolism in vivo by modeling imaging measures. J Neurosci, 30(45), 15030 - 15033. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3330-10.2010.
  38. Jenkins T,Ciccarelli O,Toosy A,Miszkiel K,Wheeler-Kingshott C,Altmann D,Mancini L,Jones S,Plant G,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2010) Dissecting structure-function interactions in acute optic neuritis to investigate neuroplasticity Human Brain Mapping, 31, 276 - 286.
  39. Thompson A (2010) MS neuro-rehabilitation: Changes and challenges MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, 16(10), 1269 - 1269.
  40. Freund P,Wheeler-Kingshott C,Jackson J,Miller D,Thompson A,Ciccarelli O (2010) Recovery after spinal cord relapse in multiple sclerosis is predicted by radial diffusivity. Mult Scler, 16(10), 1193 - 1202. 10.1177/1352458510376180.
  41. Rejdak K,Leary SM,Petzold A,Thompson AJ,Miller DH,Giovannoni G (2010) Urinary neopterin and nitric oxide metabolites as markers of interferon beta-1a activity in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler, 16(9), 1066 - 1072. 10.1177/1352458510375100.
  42. Flachenecker P,Khil L,Bergmann S,Kowalewski M,Pascu I,Perez-Miralles F,Sastre-Garriga J,Zwingers T,MS-ID Study Group (2010) Development and pilot phase of a European MS register. J Neurol, 257, 1620 - 1627.
  43. Martino G,Franklin RJM,Van Evercooren AB,Kerr DA,Stem Cells in MS Consensus Group (2010) Stem cell transplantation in multiple sclerosis: current status and future prospects Nature Rev Neurol, 6, 247 - 255.
  44. Dobson R,Miller RF,Palmer HE,Feldmann M,Thompson EJ,Thompson AJ,Miller DH,Giovannoni G (2010) Increased urinary free immunoglobulin light chain excretion in patients with multiple sclerosis J NEUROIMMUNOL, 220(1-2), 99 - 103. 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2010.01.012.
  45. Thompson A (2010) Development of Neuroimaging in Multiple Sclerosis MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, 16(2), 255 - 255.
  46. Ciccarelli O,Altmann DR,McLean MA,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Wimpey K,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2010) Spinal cord repair in MS: does mitochondrial metabolism play a role? Neurology, 74(9), 721 - 727. 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181d26968.
  47. Di Filippo M,Anderson VM,Altmann DR,Swanton JK,Plant GT,Thompson AJ,Miller DH (2010) Brain atrophy and lesion load measures over 1 year relate to clinical status after 6 years in patients with clinically isolated syndromes. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 81(2), 204 - 208. 10.1136/jnnp.2009.171769.
  48. Jenkins TM,Toosy AT,Ciccarelli O,Miszkiel KA,Wheeler-Kingshott CA,Henderson AP,Kallis C,Mancini L,Plant GT,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2010) Neuroplasticity predicts outcome of optic neuritis independent of tissue damage. Ann Neurol, 67(1), 99 - 113. 10.1002/ana.21823.
  49. Jenkins T,Toosy AT,Ciccarelli O,Miszkiel KA,Wheeler-Kingsnott CA,Henderson AP,Kallis C,Mancini L,Plant GT,Miller DH,Thompson AJ (2010) Neuroplasticity Predicts Outcome of Optic Neuritis Independent of Tissue Damage Reply ANN NEUROL, 68(6), 971 - 971. 10.1002/ana.22030.
  50. Thompson AJ,Toosy AT,Ciccarelli O (2010) Pharmacological management of symptoms in multiple sclerosis: current approaches and future directions. Lancet Neurol, 9(12), 1182 - 1199. 10.1016/S1474-4422(10)70249-0.

Biography

Alan Thompson is Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, and Programme Director for Neurological Disorders, UCL Partners Academic Health Science Centre.  He is an NIHR Senior Investigator, honorary consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, a Guarantor of Brain, and Editor-in-Chief of Multiple Sclerosis Journal.  Alan Thompson  has an H-index of 86 (Research ID C-2654-2008), and is ranked 22nd in the Essential Science Indicators section for Neuroscience and Behavior.  He received his undergraduate degrees in 1979 and MD in 1985 from Trinity College Dublin, was elected FRCP in 1994, FRCPI in 1995, FAAN in 2009, and received an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University, Belgium, in 2008.  He was awarded the 'Pioneer of the Nation' award at Buckingham Palace in 2003.  His MD on immunological and biochemical markers of disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrated for the first time active demyelination shown by the detection of breakdown products of myelin basic protein in the CSF in the absence of clinical symptoms.  His post-doctorate research has been at the UCL Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital, Queen Square, where he carried out the first serial MRI studies of the natural history of individual disease groups in MS, demonstrating the value of MRI in monitoring the disease process, and developed protocols used internationally for the use of MRI in assessing the effectiveness of new treatments. He has developed MR techniques which improve pathological specificity, and developed techniques for measuring spinal cord atrophy and cerebral atrophy (indicating axonal loss).  He has identified the unique characteristics of the primary progressive MS group, and is a member of a group of international experts who defined diagnostic criteria for MS in 2001, 2005 and 2010.   In 1998 Alan Thompson was appointed to the first chair of Clinical Neurology and Neurorehabilitation in the UK, and in 2007 established and led the Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at the UCL Institute of Neurology.  He is chair of MSIF's International Medical and Scientific Board, Chair of the Steering Committee for the International Progressive MS Collaborative, a member of the National MS Society (USA)'s Research Programs Advisory Committee, and a Guarantor of Brain. 

Qualifications

  • 1995: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
  • 1994: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians
  • 1985: Doctor of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin
  • 1979: Bachelor of Arts, Trinity College Dublin
  • 1979: Bachelor of the Arts of Obstetrics, Trinity College Dublin

Keywords

  • Axon degeneration
  • Bladder and sexual dysfunction
  • Brain imaging
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Clinical trials
  • Cross-sectional and cohort studies
  • Demyelination
  • Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
  • Functional MRI (fMRI)
  • Gait and balance disorders
  • Image analysis
  • Imaging
  • MR Spectroscopy (MRS)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Mechanisms of disability and repair
  • Motor learning
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Myelopathies
  • Neuroimaging
  • Plasticity
  • Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)
  • Regeneration
  • Rehabilitation
  • Spinal cord
  • Stem cells
  • Stroke
  • management of disability
  • outcome measurement