Research at the DZNE

DZNE researches neurodegeneration and the wide range of diseases it triggers. In addition to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, this also includes less common diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinocerebellar ataxia, and childhood dementia.

Damaged neurons

The term “neurodegeneration” stands for a pathological, progressive process in the consequence of which neurons are damaged. Degeneration disrupts their function and they may ultimately die off. This development can lead to dementia, cause movement disorders, and severely affect health in other ways as well.

Unresolved issues

So far, there are no therapies that could stop or even slow down the death of neurons. Current treatments can, at best, alleviate symptoms of disease. There is also no effective early diagnosis, and the causes of neurodegeneration are poorly understood – especially as each neurodegenerative disease has its own specifics. Moreover, these diseases not only affect patients; they also place an enormous burden on the many family members who are involved caring for their sick relatives each and every day. The situation therefore calls in addition to better therapies also for novel concepts in health care that improve the quality of life of all affected individuals.

We research these diseases

Alzheimer's

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Alzheimer's According to projections, there are currently around 1.6 million people living with dementia in Germany - and numbers are rising. The majority of them are affected by Alzheimer's disease. Morbus Alzheimer, the technical name of the best-known and most common dementia, is a disease that usually manifests in old age. Only rarely are affected individuals younger than 60 years old. [...]

ALS

Lewy body dementia

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects a very specific group of neurons: the neurons for motor function, also known as motor neurons. They are located in the brain and spinal cord and are responsible for controlling the muscles. The motor neurons are destroyed by the disease. This result in progressive muscle paralysis. [...]

Lewy body dementia Lewy body dementia usually occurs after the age of 65. To date, it is not really clear whether Lewy body dementia is a disease in its own right or a variant of Parkinson's with early onset dementia: Individuals with Lewy body dementia sometimes have symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients. Mixed forms of these three diseases are also known. Men are probably more likely than women to be affected by Lewy body dementia. [...]

Parkinson's Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease – right after Alzheimer's disease. According to estimates, there are at least 200,000 people affected in Germany, with a clear upward trend. Parkinson's disease mostly occurs in older adulthood: The vast majority of those affected are at least 60 years old. However, ten percent of all Parkinson's patients develop the disease before the age of 50. [...]

Frontotemporaldementia Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a rare form of rapidly progressive dementia. It is estimated that, together with Alzheimer's, it accounts for the majority of all forms of dementia in individuals under the age of 65. A characteristic feature of FTD is the loss of neurons, especially in the frontal lobe and temporal lobe. Important functions are controlled in these brain areas. [...]

Huntington's Huntington's chorea, also called "Huntington's disease" or "Morbus Huntington", is an inherited disorder of the brain. It was named after the US physician George Huntington, who was the first to scientifically describe the disease in 1872. Involuntary twitching movements of the head, arms, legs and hands, but also of the trunk, up to a characteristic dance-like gait: in the Middle Ages, these symptoms had earned the disease the now-obsolete name 'St. Vitus' dance'. [...]

Childhood dementia Dementia is not just a question of age. Children and adolescents can also be affected by progressive neurodegenerative diseases of the brain. More than 250 different disorders are now known to affect the cognitive abilities of children. These conditions, collectively referred to as "childhood dementia," are among the rare diseases: Depending on the form of the disease, childhood dementia affects between 1 in 2,000 and 1 in 500,000 newborns. [...]

Ataxias The term "ataxia" is derived from the Greek word "a-taxia" meaning "a lack of order". Ataxia is the name for a number of rare disorders of the brain and spinal cord in which the interaction of various muscle groups is disturbed. As a result, the sense of balance and coordination of movements are impaired. Walking is affected, as is sitting or standing, speaking, hand movements, and the control of eye movements. The person's gait becomes unsteady and wide-based, handwriting becomes illegible, gripping and holding objects become difficult. [...]

Parkinson's

Fronto- temporal dementia

Huntington's

Childhood dementia

Ataxias

Lewy body dementia

Fronto- temporal dementia

Multidisciplinary approach

In light of these many open questions, the DZNE pursues an interdisciplinary scientific strategy that covers five interconnected research areas: Fundamental Research, Clinical Research, Health Care Research, Population Health Sciences, and Systems Medicine. The DZNE is thus dedicated to exploring the entire spectrum: from investigating the molecular processes of disease in the laboratory to conducting human studies in humans. Moreover, we look into protection and risk factors in the population, and develop interventions for care and treatment. All these activities are part of our overall strategy, which strives to effectively link all research areas for maximum impact. After all, Because we aim that findings from research are applied in medicine our purpose is to ensure that research findings are applied in the medical field and in everyday life – and substantially improve the situation of patients and their families. Such efforts to build a bridge between science and practical application is called “translation”.

This is our commitment – day after day.