2008 New Zealand Rutherford Lecture

The Marvels of the Human Brain

Presented by Professor Richard Faull

By way of introduction Professor Faull gave the audience an overview of the anatomy of the brain and the relevant functions performed by specific areas. He clearly illustrated by 3D images, graphics marking specific areas of functionality and a plastic model of the human brain.

He then talked about neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Huntingdon disease and Parkinson's) and the impact that had on families and loved ones.

He explained how the formation of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank was a result of interaction with the members of Huntington's families. Prior to the identification of the Huntington gene in 1993, families had no sure way of knowing if there loved ones had died of Huntington's disease. For the families this was incredibly important as the disease was hereditary and family members had a 50% chance of inheriting this disease.

With no definitive diagnostic test, Professor Faull and his team were asked to study brain tissue of the deceased (bequeathed to the University of Auckland) in order to verify the Huntington's diagnosis. Sometimes he said he was able to give good news ‘and that was like giving someone a million dollars".

Research into Neurodegenerative Diseases

It become obvious to the research team diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's - all involving cell death on a massive scale all had different pathologies. Different areas of the brain and different cells were being destroyed. Professor Faull outlined the main areas of research undertaken:

1.  Investigation into cell death to discover why it happens so that it can in future be stopped or slowed down

2.      Exploring the use of chemicals to replace what the cells are destroying - like dopamine in Parkinson's disease

3.      How to replace lost brain cells with new stem cells

He outlined the most significant focus of his team's research: neurogenisis, or the production of new cells.

The First Breakthrough

The first breakthrough came when Professor Faull and his team discovered by working with brain tissue affected by Huntington's, a disease characterised by massive cell death, that the brain tries to repair itself by making new brain cells in quite major numbers.

Discovering this process in diseased brains was a breakthrough and a world first that offered hope to the hundreds of New Zealanders who die of brain disease each year.

This was a first step in the study of brain cell regeneration and lead the way to further research to investigate how to get stem cells to produce replacement neurons in people with Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Adult Stem Cell Research

Professor Faull explained how a stem cell is a cell that can divide and form any type of cell, skin, brain etc. He highlighted the many ethical and moral issues in using human foetal stem cells for research and highlighted a significant breakthrough by his team using adult stem cell transplantation in an animal model, successfully.

Their research involved working with the brains of healthy adult rats and illustrated that after transplantation of stem cells into a rat with Huntington's disease, a significant number of the adult stem cells had survived to become the type of brain cells needed, replacing those that had been destroyed by the disease.

This breakthrough was significant as it could overcome the ethical dilemma of stem cell research and holds promise for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Discovery of the Brain's Repair Pathway

Professor Faull explained that even though the human brain does make new brain cells in an attempt to repair itself, it is too little and too late. Earlier research had identified a pathway, he described this as a motorway, in the rat brain where these new stem cells traveled prior to developing in the area of their brains responsible for smell, but it was thought that humans did not have such a pathway.

Professor Faull and his team were convinced this wasn't right and set out to disprove it. Eight years later they succeeded, discovering a pathway that stem cells travel along in an attempt to repair brain cells destroyed by Huntington's disease. This discovery in March 2007 made the front cover of the world's most prestigious scientific journal, Science. The Rutherford Award also acknowledges this outstanding contribution to science.

This research holds great hope for the development of future treatments and whilst stem cell therapy for humans is still a number of years away, this breakthrough is very significant.

Professor Faull and his team will now continue to investigate off-ramps to this motorway (pathway) to other parts of the brain affected by stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Freemasons in New Zealand can be justifiably proud of these achievements in a very personal way. The Freemasons Charity has supported Professor Faull's research (as outlined in this article) over the last three years with a total of $.......... Every Lodge member who has made a contribution to the Fund of Benevolence can truly say "I helped this research, I helped in making these discoveries possible".

Freemasons New Zealand's support of this research will continue in a significant way via the Northern Masonic Foundation.

This research is much too significant and much too pertinent to our brethren to not be supported by our organisation.