A recent study conducted at the Université de Montréal, published in Nature Communications, has unveiled a startling revelation: Parkinson’s disease quietly progresses for more than a decade before symptoms manifest.
Led by UdeM neuroscientist Louis-Éric Trudeau, this research challenges conventional understanding by showcasing the brain’s resilience during Parkinson’s asymptomatic phase.
The Silent March of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease, notorious for its debilitating effects on movement, has long puzzled scientists due to the brain’s surprising adaptability during the initial asymptomatic stage.
Trudeau’s team scrutinized movement circuits in mice brains, which, remarkably, remained insensitive to a near-complete loss of active dopamine secretion—a neurotransmitter renowned for its role in movement regulation.
Intriguingly, Parkinson’s is characterized by a relentless decline in brain dopamine levels.
“This observation went against our initial hypothesis, but that’s often the way it is in science, and it forced us to re-evaluate our certainties about what dopamine really does in the brain,” explained Trudeau, a UdeM professor specializing in Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neurosciences.
Challenging Expectations
Employing genetic manipulations, the researchers deactivated the ability of dopamine-producing neurons to release this neurotransmitter in response to regular electrical activity. Counter to expectations, the mice exhibited entirely normal motor function.
Concurrently, a team led by UdeM trauma specialist Louis de Beaumont at the Centre de recherche de l’Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal conducted measurements of overall dopamine levels in the mice’s brains.
Surprisingly, these revealed normal extracellular dopamine levels in the brain. These findings suggest that the brain’s motor circuits rely on minimal basal dopamine levels.
In the early stages of Parkinson’s, these basal dopamine levels may remain sufficient for many years, despite the gradual loss of dopamine-producing neurons. Motor disturbances only emerge when a certain threshold is surpassed.
Implications for Parkinson’s Research
This groundbreaking study, by unveiling the mechanisms behind dopamine secretion in the brain, paves the way for new approaches to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease—an incurable neurodegenerative condition.
Understanding the resilience of the brain during the presymptomatic phase offers valuable insights into Parkinson’s progression, potentially leading to innovative strategies for symptom management.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies about Vitamin E that may help prevent Parkinson’s disease, and Vitamin D could benefit people with Parkinson’s disease.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about new way to treat Parkinson’s disease, and results showing COVID-19 may be linked to Parkinson’s disease.
The research findings can be found in Nature Communications.
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