Parkinson's Disease Spreads In Brain Similar To Infection: Researchers

VIENNA, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Researchers have found Parkinson's disease spreads in the brain from cell to cell similar to the way an infection does, Xinhua news agency reports citing local media.

A team led by Gabor Kovacs of Medical University of Vienna said they are now able to show how, with the use of a specially-developed antibody, spreading of the disease occurs in the human brain, the Der Standard newspaper said.

This had previously only been observed in experimental models, but for the first time also observable in humans.

The focus of the research was on the Alpha-synuclein protein abundant in the human brain.

In patients with Parkinson's disease (and closely-associated Lewy body dementia), the protein appears in a pathologically-altered state.

The study showed how human nerve cells absorbed the pathologically-altered form of the protein and how it was transmitted from one cell to the next.

"This explains why in the course of the disease the state of patients continues to become worse and new symptoms appear -- because the 'contagion' process can spread the disease to other regions of the brain," Kovacs said.

Kovacs said blocking the spreading mechanism of Alpha-synuclein protein could now be targeted as a means of therapy for patients, and the antibody could be used to aid in making diagnoses of both Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.

The study supports similar claims from Munich-based neuropathologist Armin Giese who reported similar behaviour with Alzheimer's disease last Tuesday.

-- BERNAMA

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