Star Performance

Staying connected is vital for our brain cells. Across a mass of 100 trillion bridges, called synapses, neurons combine to give our brain an unrivalled computing power. But there can be too much of a good thing, and too many active synapses can cause damage to the nervous system. The cognitive and muscular problems caused by Huntingdon’s disease are thought to be triggered in this way. Sufferers produce an abnormal version of a protein, a defect that causes the brain to develop too many stimulatory connections. Stress caused by this is evident in mice whose protein production has been 'switched off' in certain brain areas. Star-shaped cells that respond to brain damage explode into action (activity marked in green) in response to the disruption. Therefore, finding ways to counteract this effect, and allow healthy synapses to grow during development are a top priority for scientists looking for a cure.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

Jan Piotrowski

Writer

A recent Imperial College graduate with a Masters in Science Communication, Jan now works as a freelance science communicator. His interests focus on neuroscience, psychology and the environment.

Website

• Image by Spencer McKinstry and colleagues
• Duke University School of Medicine, USA
• Originally published under a Creative Commons Licence (BY 4.0)
• Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, July 2014