Parkinson’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia are two serious brain diseases that affect millions of people in the United States and around the world.
These diseases usually affect older adults, and they slowly damage the brain over time. People who have them may start to move more slowly, feel stiff, or shake.
As the disease gets worse, it becomes harder to think clearly and remember things. In some cases, it can lead to major memory loss.
These diseases happen because certain brain cells die off. The cells that are affected are the ones that make dopamine, which is a chemical that helps control body movement and balance. When dopamine levels drop, a person may have trouble walking, keeping their balance, or doing simple tasks.
Scientists have been trying to understand what causes these brain cells to die. A recent study from researchers at Scripps Research has found something important.
They found that a small molecule called nitric oxide may play a big role in starting and spreading these diseases. Nitric oxide is a natural chemical made by our bodies. It’s helpful in small amounts, but too much of it can be harmful.
Inside our cells, there’s a process called autophagy. This is like a clean-up system that removes waste and harmful materials from the cell. One kind of waste is a protein called alpha-synuclein.
This protein is usually cleaned out before it causes any problems. But in people with Parkinson’s or Lewy Body Dementia, alpha-synuclein doesn’t get removed properly. Instead, it sticks together and forms clumps inside brain cells.
These clumps can damage or even kill brain cells. The clean-up process involves another protein called p62. It helps remove the harmful clumps.
But the researchers found that nitric oxide can change the shape of the p62 protein through a process called S-nitrosylation. When this happens, p62 no longer works properly. It can’t clean up the alpha-synuclein clumps. As a result, more and more clumps form inside the brain cells.
What makes this worse is that these protein clumps don’t just stay in one cell. They can move to nearby cells, spreading the damage. This helps explain why Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia usually start in one area of the brain and slowly move to other areas. It’s like one cell passes the problem on to the next, creating a chain reaction.
The good news is that this discovery could lead to better treatments. If scientists can find a way to stop nitric oxide from damaging p62, they might be able to stop the harmful clumps from forming and spreading. This could help protect the brain and slow down the disease.
The researchers also mentioned that certain vitamins, like vitamin E and vitamin D, might help protect the brain. These vitamins have shown promise in early studies, but more research is needed to know for sure.
This new study is a big step forward in understanding how these brain diseases work. It gives scientists a better idea of where to focus their efforts for future treatments. While there is still a long way to go, discoveries like this bring hope to millions of people living with Parkinson’s disease or Lewy Body Dementia.
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 health information, please see recent studies about how wheat gluten might be influencing our brain health, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
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