Neural Death and Degeneration
NMHI home to a strong group of neuroscientists who investigate why and how cells of the nervous system become damaged and/or die. These same experiments can tell us how to enhance cell survival.
Neurodegeneration and cell death is an expansive area that includes foundational molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience and clinical neuroscience. Many NMHI investigators collaborate to further available knowledge of the pathogenesis and potential treatments of disorders including, but not limited to Alzheimer, Huntington and Parkinson diseases, stroke, ALS, MS, neuropsychiatric disorders, CNS cancers, developmental disorders and CNS injury.
NMHI investigators use a wide range of technologies for their investigations from cultured cells and slices for in-vitro models, behavioural and live cell imaging of in-vivo models, and magnetic resonance imaging and functional testing of clinical populations.
Techniques used include:
- cell culture
- organotypic culture
- quantitative immunoassays
- in-vivo functional and structural imaging
- cellular neuroimaging
- confocal and multiphoton microscopy
- fluorescent and light microscopy
- electrophysiology
- gene arrays
- RT-PCR
- histochemistry
- enzyme assays
- gas chromatography
- high pressure liquid chromatography