Recent research has led to identification of a molecule that could help in understanding the cause of motor neurone disease (MND) and other neurodegenerative conditions. Researchers from University College and King's College London believe that the recent research can help in developing new treatments to treat the illnesses. MND causes progressive paralysis, loss of speech and impaired ability to eat and drink.

Researchers led by Professor Patricia Salinas have found that a signaling molecule called Wnt3 has a crucial role in creating connections - or synapses - between nerves and the muscles they control.

During recent research, researchers studied the function of Wnt signals in chickens, mice and in cells. Researchers found that in all three cases, it enhanced the effectiveness of Agrin.

Professor Salinas said, "Chickens that don't have the Wnt signal in their developing wings have all of the muscle tissue that we would expect to see, but they don't make strong connections between nerves and muscles. So we know that Wnt is definitely affecting synapse formation rather than anything else to do with muscles."

Dr Belinda Cupid, of the MND Association, said, "We know from recent research that signs of motor neurone damage, on a cellular level, in models of MND occur very much earlier than the symptoms appear, so any new knowledge of how healthy motor neurones and muscles interact will give us new clues about what might be going wrong in those people affected by this cruel disease."