It is one of three grants from a $2-million pool recently awarded by the NSW Government to “outstanding MND researchers” to investigate the causes of the deadly neurodegenerative disease, and why it is more prevalent in some parts of the state than others.
In the past 40 years, the number of people being diagnosed with MND has risen dramatically, with eight people per 100,000 now affected.
Ten per cent of MND has a genetic link, but the exact cause of the remaining 90 per cent of cases is not yet known.
Professor Rowe says blue-green algal blooms, like those that occur in Australia’s waterways in warmer weather, are one likely culprit.
“Blue-green algae doesn’t exist in isolation, though,” he says. “High levels of nitrogen and other nutrients from fertiliser run-off, and a combination of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides have destroyed many of our inland waterways, and all of these occur together.
“No-one has ever done a systematic geolocation of MND cases in Australia before.
“Our observation is there are clusters far above expected incidence and prevalence in areas around rivers and lakes, like in the Riverina, and we’re expecting to see the map reflect that.
“The more we know about the causes of this awful disease, the better we will be able to prevent it. Because sporadic MND is preventable.”
Initially, the heat map will cover the home address at diagnosis of all 1067 patients who have been treated at the MQ Health MND Clinic since it opened in 2010.
With exposure likely to have occurred many years before diagnosis, epidemiological questionnaires will also be important to shed light on the bigger picture, exposing occupational or recreational links such as farm work or water-skiing in particular locations.
Preliminary data is expected to be available before the end of the year.
The research team includes Professor Rowe and fellow Macquarie University researchers Professor Julian Gold, Associate Professor Kelly Williams, Dr Lyndal Henden, Dr Richard Gan, Dr Benjamin Heng and Dr Rupendra Shrestha.
MND causes the progressive loss of the neurones that allow the brain and spine to communicate with the muscles. In its early stages, patients experience muscle weakness, but as the disease progresses, they lose the ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe unaided.
There are few treatments available, and many people die within two years of diagnosis.
Learn more about the work of the Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre and the MQ Health MND Clinic.
