A gene mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease interrupts brain cells’ normal process for disposing of degraded proteins, according to a recent study. The result is a buildup of debris in synapses that may cause Parkinson’s symptoms. In a study of Drosophila, fruit flies, researchers demonstrated that the release of calcium in neurons triggers autophagy — cell house-cleaning — and that the gene mutation inhibits this release. Abnormal clumps of proteins called Lewy bodies, consisting primarily of clumps of the protein alpha-synucleinTrusted Source, are found in the synapses of people with Parkinson’s disease. Alpha-synuclein is normally involved in the cross-talk between brain cells. However, as misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins clump together, they kill neurons, leaving dead brain cells in their wake. According to Biogen’s Dr. Warren D. Hirst, the hypothesis that a failure in autophagy results in Parkinson’s is not new. However, the new study documents, step-by-step, the possible players and mechanics behind autophagy’s failure. (Dr. Hirst was not involved in the study.)
The research is published in NeuronTrusted Source. Parkinson’s disease is the second-most frequently diagnosed neurodegenerative disease, following Alzheimer’s disease. There are nearly one million people in the United States living with Parkinson’s, and the number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. About 10 million people have Parkinson’s worldwide. Almost 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. In its advanced stages, critical dopamine-producing neurons in the brain’s basal ganglia die. This brain region controls movement.
Parkinson’s may also cause depression and other emotional changes, skin problems, urinary issues, constipation, and difficulty swallowing, chewing, and talking. Most people diagnosed with Parkinson’s are over age 60, though about 5% may develop the disease earlier. It is not entirely clear the degree to which the disease may be inherited. It’s important to note that the condition affects people differently — some may experience more severe symptoms such as losing all mobility, while others may continue to experience mild symptoms.
