The masters of our minds: Meet the brain scientists battling to preserve our sanity
Sep 1, 2017Andrew Preston put squeamishness aside to observe the brain scientists who are on one of civilisation's most ambitious quests: to prolong life itself MRI, PET and CT scans of the brains of people affected by (clockwise from top left): Alcoholism, marijuana use, multiple sclerosis, cocaine use, Parkinson's disease, Alzehemier's diseaseAll is quiet in Room E349 at London’s Hammersmith Hospital but for the gentle whirring of four six-foot-high freezers standing along a side wall. They are very cold – minus 80°C – and behind each is an emergency back-up of liquid CO2, in case the power fails. Strip lights shine a chill, white light down onto the sparse contents of the sterile air-conditioned room. There are two steel sinks, a computer monitor, a microscope and four shelves upon which identical white plastic containers are lined up, their lids firmly on, each one numbered in black marker pen. A large steel bench straddles the centre, and is perforated for drainage and cleaned by a steady down-draught, which sucks any vapours or smells down and away. On it sit two cutting blocks, each with a triangular guide frame, a sharp knife, a scalpel, blue tweezers and several turquoise plastic sample cases. The silence is broken at 10am when neuropathologist Dr Federico Roncaroli and neuroscientist Dr Steve Gentleman use their swipe passes to enter through the blue security doors. They put on disposable plastic overalls and purple nitrile rubber gloves, reach into a container, numbered 4273 and 4563, take out the contents, place them on the cutting block and pick up a scalpel.Neuropathologist Dr Federico Roncaroli and neuroscientist Dr Steve Gentleman work to identify, delay, and perhaps eventually prevent the onset of devastating illnesses that will affect increasing numbers of usThey are here to help advance a vital cause. To identify, delay, and perhaps eventually prevent the onset of devastating illnesses that will affect increasing numbers of us as the population ages: principally Alzheimer’s... (Daily Mail)
