Top Story

Brain cells affected by Parkinson’s appear to burn out like an overheating motor

It has been mysterious as to why only certain parts of the brain are affected with Parkinson's disease. Now researchers believe they have figured out what makes those brain cells unique.

It’s understood that Parkinson’s is developed when nerve cells are lost in parts of the brain. However, it’s been mysterious as to why this occurs.

A new study is now suggesting that the nerve cells that are lost essentially burn out, or run out of energy, like an “overheating motor.”

Scientists from the University of Montreal studied the disease in mice cells. They found that neurons most often involved in Parkinson’s disease were complex and had many more branches, unlike other brain cells. The affected cells also required much more energy, and as a result, they produced more waste products. These waste products trigger cell death.

Professor Louis-Eric Trudeau told BBC News:

“Like a motor constantly running at high speed, these neurons need to produce an incredible amount of energy to function. They appear to exhaust themselves and die prematurely.”

This new research helps identify what’s actually happening in the brain and could potentially direct development of new medications toward either increase energy efficiency in these cells or perhaps reduce the need for as much energy.

According to BBC, Dr. Arthur Roach from the charity Parkinson’s UK said:

“Out of the billions of cells in the brain, it is always the same small group that degenerate and die in Parkinson’s. We don’t know why only these cells are affected. This study provides strong support to the idea that it is the unique structure and function of these cells that makes them especially susceptible to a damaging process called oxidative stress. We hope that this study will rekindle interest in the approach, and even lead to new treatments based on the most up-to-date ideas about oxidative stress.”

Photo: Flickr user Allan Ajifo

Shares0
Shares0