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Researchers at the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with researchers in the US and Italy, have found that behavioural changes in some people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, including apathy, disinhibition, irritability, and frustration, are linked to the buildup of TDP-43 protein in the amygdala, a brain region often overlooked but central to these symptoms.
Using the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS), a tool developed to measure cognitive and behavioural changes in ALS, the team showed that TDP-43 buildup in the amygdala occurred in people with these behavioural changes. They also found that ferritin, an iron-storage protein, builds up alongside TDP-43, which is important because iron can be detected on MRI scans, providing a potential way to monitor disease progression.
This study highlights the amygdala as a key hub for understanding behavioural symptoms in ALS and points toward new possibilities for imaging biomarkers and targeted therapies.
Relevant links
Read the paper for yourself:
Read more about the ECAS developed by Euan MacDonald Centre Principal Investigator Prof Sharon Abrahams:
Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural Screen website