Parkinson’s disease is the second most common brain disorder. It happens when certain brain cells that make dopamine die, causing symptoms like shaking, stiff muscles, slow movement, and poor balance.
There’s currently no cure, and treatments are limited. But researchers believe that understanding what causes the disease could lead to better options.
Now, scientists at the University of Sydney have made an exciting discovery: they’ve found a new brain protein linked to Parkinson’s and figured out how to modify it. This could help lead to new and improved treatments in the future.
Back in 2017, University of Sydney researchers made a major discovery: an abnormal form of a brain-protective protein called SOD1 was found in people with Parkinson’s disease. Instead of helping, the faulty protein clumped together and harmed brain cells.
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Now, in a new follow-up study, the same team has shown that treating this rogue protein in mice improved movement and motor function—a key breakthrough for Parkinson’s research. The results suggest that targeting damaged SOD1 could one day lead to new treatments for the disease.
In a surprising breakthrough, scientists have found that a special copper supplement dramatically improved movement in mice with Parkinson-like symptoms. Every treated mouse showed better motor skills, far beyond what researchers expected.
The study followed two groups of genetically modified mice. One group received the copper treatment for three months, while the other got a placebo. The placebo group gradually lost motor function, just like what happens in human Parkinson’s. But the treated mice held steady, avoiding the typical movement problems altogether.
Parkinson’s disease is complex and likely caused by multiple factors, not just one. According to Professor Double, one of these factors may be a faulty version of the SOD1 protein, which can damage brain cells.
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Like HIV, Parkinson’s will probably need a combination of treatments to make a real difference.
One treatment alone might not do much, but together they can improve overall health.
The next step for the researchers? Launching a clinical trial to find the best way to target the faulty SOD1 protein. If successful, this could lead to a new treatment that helps slow down the disease.
Journal Reference:
- Trist, B.G., Davies, K.M., Cottam, V., et al. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like superoxide dismutase 1 proteinopathy is associated with neuronal loss in Parkinson’s disease brain. Acta Neuropathol 134, 113–127 (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s00401-017-1726-6
