What is next in African neuroscience?

Donald, Kirsten A.; Maina, Mahmoud Bukar; Patel, Nilesh B.; Nguemeni, Carine; Mohamed, Wael; Abubakar, Amina; Brown, Matthew T.; Stoyanova, Raliza; Welchman, Andrew E.; Walker, Natasha; Willett, Alexis; Kariuki, Symon M.; Figaji, Anthony; Stein, Dan J.; Ihunwo, Amadi O.; Daniels, Willie M. U.; Newton, Charles R.

doi:10.7554/elife.80488

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…The epidemiological profile of diseases and the health system landscape varies across regions in LMICs. For instance, HIV, malaria, onchocerciasis, cysticercosis, and sickle cell disease significantly alter the burden, presentation and outcomes of epilepsy ( 1 – 4 ). These diseases have an endemicity and prevalence profile that varies significantly across regions in LMICs and their impact on presentation of epilepsy in these regions is not even.…”

Section: Heterogeneity Of Settings In Lmicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Researchers in LMICs would have a greater awareness of the epidemiology of epilepsy in their own settings. The future of sustainable global HIC and LMIC research relationships lies in equitable participation, recognition and attribution in the process and final outcomes, as well as in equipping young researchers with requisite skills allowing them to compete effectively for available resources and contribute to research projects at high standards ( 1 , 10 , 11 , 14 – 17 ).…”

Section: Support For Researchers and Drivers Of The Epilepsy Research...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Communicable diseases that contribute to the occurrence of epilepsy have been extensively studied in LMIC settings ( 1 ). This focus needs to be reviewed in the context of improving survival and the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases.…”

Section: Way Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ethical and validity conundrum in epilepsy research in LMIC settings

Samia,

Shah,

Patel

et al. 2023

Front. Neurol.

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Section: Heterogeneity Of Settings In Lmicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Support For Researchers and Drivers Of The Epilepsy Research...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ethical and validity conundrum in epilepsy research in LMIC settings

Samia,

Shah,

Patel

et al. 2023

Front. Neurol.

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“…Additionally, Kenya has shown promising developments in the field of neuroscience. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research (Donald, 2022) reported on the establishment of the Kenya Brain and Neuroscience Research Organization (KNBRO). This organization aims to foster collaborations between researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to advance neuroscience research and address neurological disorders prevalent in the region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Genes and Proteins in Neurons Functioning

Krishna

2023

IJB

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Purpose: The aim of the study is to examine the role of genes and proteins in neurons functioning. Methodology: This study adopted a desktop methodology. This study used secondary data from which include review of existing literature from already published studies and reports that was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study revealed that genes and proteins play pivotal roles in the functioning of neurons, contributing to the complex processes involved in neural development, communication, and plasticity. Genes provide the instructions for the production of proteins, which act as the building blocks and functional molecules within cells. The interplay between genes and proteins is essential for various neuronal processes, including synaptic transmission, neural circuit formation, and the modulation of neuronal activity. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on the theory of synaptic plasticity which was proposed by Donald Hebb and the theory of neurotransmission which was pioneered by Otto Loewi. The study recommends that policies should be developed to promote genetic screening and testing for neurological disorders, allowing for early interventions and improved outcomes.

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“…Africa is home to over a billion people with the world's largest genetic diversity 1 . This diversity is important for understanding disease susceptibility or resistance, manifestation, and the body's response to factors that may improve the quality of life 2 . The continent accounts for 25% of the global disease burden 3 , yet, contributes just about 2% of global scientific output 4 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simple Models For Neuroscience Research Discoveries: How Often Are These Models Used In Africa

Hamidu

Ahmad

Abdulazeez

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

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Simple animal model systems such as Drosophila, Zebrafish, and C. Elegans have enabled numerous breakthroughs in understanding human health and disease. Their conserved biological processes, ever-expanding established procedures for handling, and amenability for molecular and genetic manipulation, in addition to the minimal ethical concerns, have made these models preferred choices in several life science disciplines globally. Owing to their cheap maintenance cost, adopting these model systems will help bridge the research gap between Africa and the Global North and contribute to advancing scientific knowledge in African universities through practical sessions. However, the extent to which these models are used across Africa is unknown. Here, we analysed the use of Drosophila, Zebrafish, and C. elegans model systems in scientific publications from African laboratories from the year 2000 to 2021. Of 1851 PubMed-indexed publications in which at least one simple animal model was mentioned, 168 used at least one of these models for the actual investigation. With an average of 21 articles per country, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia contributed 75% of these studies. The remaining 25% were contributed by seven other countries at 2-7 articles per country. From here, we extracted and analysed information on funding and international collaboration. This revealed that 24.4 % of the studies were exclusively funded locally, 28.57 % exclusively funded internationally, 15.5% received both local and international funding, and the rest (31.5%) were unfunded, revealing that there is satisfactory access to funds for simple animal model studies, especially from external funders. By analysing the pattern of collaborations, we show that most of these studies had international collaborations, while very few collaborated within Africa. Our work provides data on the current state of research using simple model systems in African laboratories and argues that incorporating these models will advance biomedical science research in Africa.

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What is next in African neuroscience?

Cited by 9 publications

References 26 publications

The ethical and validity conundrum in epilepsy research in LMIC settings

The ethical and validity conundrum in epilepsy research in LMIC settings

The Role of Genes and Proteins in Neurons Functioning

Simple Models For Neuroscience Research Discoveries: How Often Are These Models Used In Africa

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