Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center have used artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover genetic factors involved in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and identify existing drugs that could potentially be repurposed to treat the condition.
Their study, published in npj Parkinson’s Disease, offers new hope for patients by speeding up the discovery of treatment options.
Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and the Need for New Treatments
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after dementia, affecting millions worldwide. It causes progressive movement problems, including tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance.
Currently, there is no cure, and existing treatments only help manage symptoms rather than slowing or stopping disease progression.
Dr. Lijun Dou, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cleveland Clinic, explains the urgent need for new therapies. “Right now, we don’t have a way to stop or slow the progression of Parkinson’s. The best we can do is manage symptoms as they appear.”
One of the challenges in developing new treatments is that scientists are still trying to understand which genes contribute to Parkinson’s and how genetic mutations lead to symptoms. Many mutations linked to Parkinson’s occur in non-coding regions of DNA—areas that do not directly code for proteins but can influence how genes function.
How AI is Helping to Solve the Puzzle
To tackle this problem, the research team used an advanced AI model that integrates multiple types of biological data. This approach, known as systems biology, allowed them to analyze genetic, protein, and pharmaceutical data all at once.
By cross-referencing Parkinson’s-related genetic mutations with brain-specific gene expression databases, they were able to determine which genes were affected by these mutations. They found that several known risk genes, such as SNCA and LRRK2, are linked to brain inflammation when mutated.
After identifying these genetic targets, the team searched for existing drugs that might interact with them. Since developing a brand-new drug can take over 15 years, repurposing an already-approved medication could provide a much faster solution for Parkinson’s patients.
A Surprising Connection to Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
One of the most promising discoveries was that individuals who had been prescribed simvastatin, a common cholesterol-lowering drug, were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. This finding suggests that simvastatin might have protective effects on the brain.
The researchers now plan to test simvastatin in laboratory studies to see if it can help slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s. They will also study several immunosuppressive and anti-anxiety medications that showed potential in their AI-driven analysis.
A Faster Path to Parkinson’s Treatments
Dr. Dou highlights the impact of AI in accelerating this research. “Using traditional methods, identifying genes, proteins, and drugs would take a lot of time and resources. Our AI-driven approach allowed us to speed up the process and identify multiple drug candidates much more efficiently.”
This study marks an important step toward finding new treatments for Parkinson’s disease. By using AI to analyze vast amounts of genetic and medical data, researchers are getting closer to understanding the disease and discovering potential therapies that could improve patients’ lives.
If successful, this approach could not only benefit Parkinson’s patients but also serve as a model for using AI in tackling other complex diseases.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
The research findings can be found in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
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