Parkinson’s disease is a brain illness that affects millions of people worldwide.
It usually happens in older adults and slowly damages the brain cells that help us move, think, and remember. After Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s is the second most common brain problem related to aging.
For years, scientists have studied Parkinson’s but haven’t been able to figure out exactly what causes it. Without knowing the cause, it’s been very hard to create treatments that really work. But now, a new study from the University of Copenhagen may change that.
Led by Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas, a team of researchers discovered a possible reason behind Parkinson’s. They focused on tiny parts inside our cells called mitochondria.
Mitochondria work like small power stations, giving cells the energy they need to stay alive and do their jobs. Normally, when mitochondria get old or damaged, our cells clean them up. But in people with Parkinson’s, this clean-up process doesn’t work well.
As a result, the damaged mitochondria stay in the cells and stop them from getting enough energy. At the same time, harmful proteins start to build up in the brain. These problems slowly lead to the death of brain cells, which may explain why people with Parkinson’s have trouble walking, thinking, or remembering.
The researchers also found that some genes that are part of the immune system—our body’s defense against sickness—have a big role in keeping mitochondria healthy.
These genes normally protect us when we have infections like the flu or COVID-19. But if they don’t work properly, mitochondria in the brain can’t stay healthy, which may increase the risk of Parkinson’s.
They also discovered something else: a link between Parkinson’s and how the body responds to infections such as COVID-19. A mutation, or change, in one of these immune system genes can make COVID-19 more severe. This shows that the health of the brain and the immune system are closely connected.
The scientists examined brain tissue from people who had Parkinson’s and compared it to brain tissue from people without the disease. They found that people with Parkinson’s had higher levels of a protein called PIAS2.
This protein could become a helpful sign for diagnosing the disease early. It might also be useful in finding new ways to stop Parkinson’s from getting worse.
By targeting the biological pathway that includes PIAS2, researchers hope to slow down or even prevent the memory and thinking problems that many people with Parkinson’s experience.
The study also suggests that this same biological pathway could be involved in other types of Parkinson’s, not just the kind they looked at. That means the new discovery could help even more people.
Their work was published in a journal called Molecular Psychiatry. While more research is still needed, this study gives new hope. It shows how the brain, immune system, and energy systems in our body are all connected.
If one part isn’t working right, it can lead to big problems like Parkinson’s. But understanding these connections may help us find better treatments and maybe even prevent the disease in the future.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies about Parkinson’s gene variant is found predominantly in people of African ancestry and research shows a dangerous cause of Parkinson’s disease.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that exercise hormone may help stop Parkinson’s symptoms and scientists make new breakthrough in Parkinson’s disease treatment.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
