The project is related to understanding how a person’s neurons normally progress and age in an accelerated manner, leading to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Uruguay’s flag continues to gain recognition. This time it’s Emiliano Trias, a 34-year-old researcher who has dedicated his career to better understanding how neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis work on our brains.
The researcher received a prize of 5,000 euros from the International Organization for Brain Research.
Trias’ field of work is very complex because understanding the human brain is one of the great challenges of contemporary science. Overall, research related to treatments to combat neurodegenerative diseases is a dead end.
The scientist told Telemundo, “You have to know that science is 95% frustration and 5% euphoria like that, a little bit of joy. And I think with that 5% I’m generous in terms of joy.”
However, this field of study has an increase in research and financial support.
“When we ask for more budget, it’s not a whim, but doing science is very expensive,” Trias said.
Population aging and increasing life expectancy have contributed to a significant increase in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, which is why gaining knowledge about these issues is a priority.
“The complex is really based on the understanding that, unlike other organs, the ability to regenerate is very important and new cells are being created all the time, so one can transplant and adapt to the new system in action. In the brain and in the spinal cord you have that possibility,” he said. Trias.
He added, “What science is aiming at today is to stop or slow down the degeneration process that is beginning to occur. In order to slow the progression of the disease.”
The key for Trias and colleagues is to decipher the behavior of cells in the brain and thus be able to predict diseases or find effective treatments that could ultimately give patients a better quality of life.
