Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare condition of the nervous system that causes gradual damage to nerve cells in the brain. This image montage showcases how a protein called alpha-synuclein clumps in the brain of people with MSA. These protein clumps also appear in the brain in other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia. These images show that the protein is clumping in a different cell type in MSA, which helps to explain why MSA is different to other diseases that also have alpha synuclein aggregates.  

Mr Wiseman is a researcher at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute. He aims to characterise the various regions of the brain where these aggregates form and their differing conformations. He hopes this will provide insight into why these diseases present in such a variable way and eventually lead to the development of disease-specific therapies.