Scientists one step closer to curing Stephen Hawking's disease

December 18, 2019  23:48

Scientists are one step closer to curing a motor neuron disease that killed Professor Stephen Hawking, Daily Mail reported.

Motor neurons control the most important muscle activity. Due to damage to these neurons as a result of disease, a person loses the ability to walk and talk.

There is currently no cure for motor neuron disease. But a new discovery can change everything. Scientists have found that there is another type of cell that is important in terms of the development of this disease: glial cells that can harm motor neurons.

Researchers from the University of St. Andrews have explained that usually glial cells support neurons in the brain and spinal cord. However, in patients with motor neuron disease, everything is different.

According to the source, scientists tested various combinations of glial cells and motor neurons grown together in the laboratory. It was found that the glial cells of patients with the disease led to the fact that the motor neurons of healthy people stopped producing electrical signals necessary for muscle control. 

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