Toowoomba researchers on the Darling Downs are starting work on cutting-edge techniques to detect and diagnose people with motor neurone disease (MND).
The deadly neurodegenerative disease affects nearly 3000 Australians at any time, and techniques for the early detection of MND remain limited.
Toowoomba Hospital neurologist Dr Ehsan Shandiz is leading leading the project which will test the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation machine.
Dr Shandiz said while TMS technology had been in use for decades to treat conditions such as depression, the use of the machines for MND diagnostics and research was still new.
“We want to show how TMS can be used to improve how doctors detect and monitor MND by measuring changes in motor neuron function,” Dr Shandiz said.
“I believe TMS will give us a more complete picture of how MND affects the nervous system over time.”
Dr Shandiz said his goal was to develop reliable, non-invasive biomarkers that could detect disease changes earlier and track the progression of MND in patients more accurately.
The TMS machine based in Toowoomba will be the first of its kind to be used for neurology research in Queensland.
The purchase of the machine and the two-year research project has been funded by Brisbane-based charity Nerve Connection Foundation thanks to generous donations from local philanthropists including Clive Berghofer, Matt Butler and Amelia Bailey.
Mr Butler was diagnosed with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2i, a neuromuscular disease, in 2019.
“Being involved in clinical research myself has shown me how important this work is,” Mr Butler said.
“While my condition is different to MND, all neuromuscular diseases share the same need for better understanding and better treatments.
“I’m proud to support research like this because it’s about creating hope for future patients.”
The Foundation’s Director and one of Australia’s leading neuromuscular researchers Associate Professor Robert Henderson said the research would establish Toowoomba as a leading site for functional motor system research.
“This research is really exciting – we believe this project will establish Toowoomba as a leading site for functional motor system research, in Queensland,” Associate Professor Henderson said.
“Motor neurone disease is still a very mysterious disease and unlocking its secrets is one of the biggest challenges in neurological research.
“What makes this project so exciting is the potential to better understand how the disease begins and progresses, which is essential if we are going to develop better diagnostics and treatments.”
Dr Shandiz said he hoped around 30 people would be involved in the research, with patients from the Darling Downs, South Burnett, Maranoa and south-east Queensland eligible to take part.