New Genetic Mouse Model May Aid in Parkinson’s Research

A new Parkinson’s disease mouse model — carrying a common disease-associated mutation in both copies of the LRRK2 gene — recapitulates some motor and behavioral symptoms of the disease, while also showing mitochondrial abnormalities, a study showed. Problems in mitochondria, known as the powerhouses of the body’s cells, are increasingly seen…

Excess Alpha-synuclein Directly Linked to Mitochondrial Problems

Higher-than-normal levels of alpha-synuclein — the protein that accumulates in toxic clumps in Parkinson’s disease — affect the shape, dynamics, and health of mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the body’s cells, according to a study in a fruit fly model. “When fruit fly larvae expressed alpha-synuclein at elevated…

New Parkinson’s Treatment Target – Drp1 Protein Linked to Sense of Smell – Found in Rat Model, Study Reports

A new potential target for treating Parkinson’s, a protein named Drp1, has been identified using a rat model of the disease, a study reported. The target was found to play a central role in the underlying cause of the degeneration and inflammation of nerve cells…