Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have made an important discovery about what might cause Parkinson’s disease, a brain condition that affects movement and becomes more common as people age.
This illness currently affects about 7 to 10 million people around the world and is the second most common brain disease after Alzheimer’s. Yet, doctors still don’t fully understand what causes it or how to stop it.
The new study, led by Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas, was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. It found that a key problem in Parkinson’s disease may be related to the way brain cells handle energy.
Inside every cell in the body are tiny structures called mitochondria. These are often called the cell’s “powerhouse” because they create the energy that the cell needs to stay alive and function. But over time, mitochondria can become damaged.
Normally, cells are able to clean out and recycle these damaged mitochondria, just like our bodies get rid of waste. This process helps keep the cells healthy and working properly.
However, in people with Parkinson’s disease, this cleanup system doesn’t work as it should. The researchers found that in nerve cells (also called neurons), the system that controls the removal of damaged mitochondria is blocked. This means that the damaged mitochondria build up, causing the cells to run low on energy.
As a result, the neurons begin to break down and die. This can lead to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty moving. It can also lead to memory problems and dementia as the disease gets worse.
The blockage happens because of problems with certain genes that usually help control the immune system. These genes are normally responsible for fighting off infections, like viruses, but they also play a key role in helping brain cells manage their energy.
The study found that when these genes aren’t working properly, the whole system breaks down. In fact, one gene linked to this process is also tied to more severe illness from COVID-19, showing how deeply connected these immune pathways are to overall health.
To make their discovery, the scientists studied brain cells from people who had Parkinson’s disease, including those who also had dementia. They looked at how different genes were behaving in these cells compared to healthy ones.
One of the most important findings was that a protein called PIAS2 was found in much higher amounts in the brains of people with Parkinson’s than in healthy brains. This protein could be playing a big role in blocking the cleanup of damaged mitochondria.
This is an exciting discovery because it helps explain why and how brain cells die in Parkinson’s disease. More importantly, it points to new ways doctors might treat the disease in the future. If scientists can find a way to unblock this pathway and restart the cleanup system in brain cells, they may be able to slow down or even stop the disease from getting worse.
The research team is hopeful that their findings will lead to better treatments that could protect brain health as people age. For now, their work adds an important piece to the puzzle of Parkinson’s disease and offers hope for millions of people living with this condition.
As scientists continue to study the brain and how it changes over time, they’re getting closer to finding ways to treat, prevent, or even cure diseases like Parkinson’s.
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.
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