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Discovery of brain protein offers promising pathway for Parkinson's disease treatment
SYDNEY, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in Parkinson's disease research, identifying a brain protein that may unlock new possibilities for treatment, a new research has revealed.
A team at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Center has discovered that a malfunctioning form of the protein SOD1 plays a key role in the progression of Parkinson's disease, according to a news release from the university.
Parkinson's, the world's second most common neurological disorder, affects over 150,000 Australians and millions worldwide, causing tremors and movement problems as dopamine-producing brain cells die. Current treatments are limited and can not stop disease progression, the study showed.
Australian researchers first found abnormal SOD1 in Parkinson's patients' brains in 2017. While normally protective, this protein becomes defective in the disease, clumping and harming brain cells, it said.
Treating mice with a copper-based drug targeting the faulty protein improved their movement, while untreated mice's motor function declined, said the study published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications.
"All the mice we treated saw a dramatic improvement in their motor skills which is a really promising sign it could be effective in treating people who have Parkinson's disease too," said Kay Double from the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Center.
The researchers stressed that more studies and clinical trials were needed, but the findings offered hope that targeting SOD1 could lead to better treatments for Parkinson's.
