Scientists Succeed in Reversing Parkinson’s Symptoms in Mice
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Summary
Scientists are looking at ways to mitigate, stabilise and reverse the effects of Parkinson’s disease.
No cure currently exists for the degenerative neurological disorder, and treatments are limited.
Research has found that an abnormal form of the protein SOD1 suffered alterations in people with Parkinson’s, accumulating in the brain and causing neuronal damage.
However, copper supplements to the brain could counteract the effects and slow/reverse the progression of the disease.
A drug called CuATSM was tested on mice and showed dramatic improvement in motor skills, with no alterations to those treated.
Parkinson’s is a complex condition that will likely require multiple combined interventions.
Another experiment from Stanford University looked at restoring communication between neurons in a Parkinson’s subtype.
Their research looked at the LRRK2 enzyme which, when mutated and hyperactive, can alter the structure of brain cells.
They administered MLi-2, a compound that binds to the enzyme and reduces its activity.
After three months, they found that primary cilia were restored in the striatum, reactivating communication.
