Nitrous Oxide: What’s the Harm?

Centre of the Cell’s Big Question Lectures are brought to you by top scientists at Queen Mary, in partnership with Centre of the Cell and co-created with young people from our Youth Scheme. They give audiences from age 14 the chance to hear from leaders in science and healthcare about the cutting-edge biology and innovative front-line medicine going on right here in east London.

Professor Alastair Noyce speaks about nitrous oxide and its harmful affect in his Big Question Lecture.

Over the last few years, the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, has become an epidemic within East London. When this drug first started to become popular among young people, the risks were little known. Today we know much more about the damage nitrous oxide can cause, but it is still one of the most commonly used drugs in this age group.

Nitrous oxide can cause damage to the myelin sheath surrounding the nerves that carry messages around the body, particularly those in the spinal cord. Professor Alastair Noyce has been looking into the recreational use of laughing gas and the harm it can do to our nervous system, while also leading the way in creating awareness and guidelines for treatment of this neurological damage.

Alastair Noyce is a Professor in Neurology and Neuroepidemiology at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, and a Consultant Neurologist at Barts Health NHS Trust.

Alastair graduated from Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry in London in 2007. He pursued integrated training via the Foundation Academic Programme at Barts Health/QMUL and an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship at UCL. Between 2012-2016 he undertook a PhD in Neuroscience at UCL. Between 2014-2016 he undertook an MSc in Epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

In 2017, he rejoined QMUL at the newly created Preventive Neurology Unit (PNU). The PNU grew to become the Centre of Preventive Neurology in September 2023. His research group at the CPN focuses on Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, particularly early identification and epidemiology, which includes environmental, clinical and genetic determinants. He also has a programme of work focused on understanding the determinants and reducing the neurological harms associated with nitrous oxide use.

His group receives funding from Parkinson’s UK, Cure Parkinson’s, Barts Charity, Michael J Fox Foundation, Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s and Innovate UK.