Parkinson’s disease is mostly known for causing problems with movement and the brain.
But a new study suggests it may also affect the heart. Scientists from the University of Surrey found that a key protein linked to Parkinson’s disease could be harming nerves near the heart, which may lead to heart-related symptoms.
The study, published in the journal Experimental Physiology, showed that a protein called alpha-synuclein, which is known to build up in the brains of people with Parkinson’s, also forms toxic clumps in a group of nerves called the stellate ganglia. These nerves help control heart rate and rhythm and are part of the body’s autonomic nervous system.
In mouse models used for the study, researchers found that 27% of the nerve cells in the stellate ganglia had clumps of alpha-synuclein.
This build-up looked similar to the harmful protein clumps seen in the brain during Parkinson’s disease. The discovery suggests that Parkinson’s could be harming not just the brain, but also the nerves that keep the heart functioning properly.
Professor Kamalan Jeevaratnam, the lead author and Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, explained, “Our study confirms the suspicion that there is a link between Parkinson’s disease and problems with the heart’s nerve system.
The same harmful process that affects the brain may also be happening in the nerves that control the heart.”
To conduct the research, the team used mice that were genetically modified to produce a mutant form of alpha-synuclein. They carefully removed the stellate ganglia from the mice and prepared thin slices of the nerve tissue. These were then stained with special fluorescent dyes to highlight the harmful protein clumps under the microscope.
Bonn Lee, a postgraduate student and co-author of the study, said, “Learning how Parkinson’s affects the heart gives us new ideas for possible treatments. If we can stop or slow the build-up of these toxic proteins outside the brain, we might be able to help people with Parkinson’s feel better and live healthier lives.”
The researchers now hope to partner with industry to explore whether targeting alpha-synuclein in the heart’s nerve cells could reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease.
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 study findings are found in Experimental Physiology.
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