New Parkinson's research 'offers treatment possibilities'

New research which could lead to treatments for Parkinson's disease looks set to bring hope to those with the condition.

A study published in journal Neuron indentified how the lack of brain chemical dopamine was able to rewire interaction between two groups of brain cells.

This process can lead to symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Gladstone investigator Anatol Kreitzer tracked how the loss of dopamine alters the wiring in the brain cells, which trigger a mechanism which eventually results in difficulties controlling movement.

"Our research has uncovered how an entirely different group of neurons can play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease symptoms," he said.

"We hope to target the changes among these neurons directly with drug therapies, in order to help relieve some of Parkinson's most debilitating symptoms."

This follows research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation which found that protein Parkin regulates how cells in the body intake and process dietary fats, providing researchers with a further insight into the neurodegenerative condition.

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