Parkinson's Disease Protein May Be Impacting Brain Functions In Healthy Humans – Says Study

September 20, 2016

A Parkinson's disease protein that may be impacting brain functions in healthy humans has been identified.  

(Photo : Kevin Frayer / Getty Images)

A Parkinson's disease protein that may be impacting brain functions in healthy humans has been identified. Alpha-Synuclein has been identified in a study conducted at the University of Cambridge.

The study provides important clues on how Parkinson's disease protein works with healthy humans and what role Parkinson's disease protein plays when the disease finally sets in, as reported by Varsity.

Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of different conditions clubbed together and termed as 'protein misfolding diseases'. Malfunctioning and distortions caused to specific proteins are among the chief causes of the disease leading up to the conclusion that it represents a group of 'protein misfolding diseases'. A report by Imperial College London wrote that this malfunctioning Parkinson's disease protein clusters to form a chain similar to a thread. In turn, this chain of Parkinson's disease protein becomes toxic for other healthy cells.

Although the role of Parkinson's disease protein alpha-synuclein is not new to the medical world, its impact on healthy brains was not studied till now. The present study at the University of Cambridge has shown how the Parkinson's disease protein regulates synaptic vehicles or cellular transporters which are a process that is fundamental to the effective functioning of signaling activities in the brain.

More significantly, researchers tested the mutated forms of Parkinson's disease protein alpha-synuclein. As a result, researchers found that the Parkinson's disease protein interfered with identical mechanism impairing the ability of the protein to regulate the synaptic vehicles and thus compromised the signaling process between neurons.

The present finding by the researchers with regard to Parkinson's disease protein represents a significant progress in the field of Parkinson's disease. Going forward this study is expected to help the formulation of right strategies in the therapeutic approach to the disease.

The researchers concluded that the wider implications of the findings can only be speculated now and further research would be needed to put some of the ideas to test. However, the study does appear to explain an array of biochemical data with regard to research on Parkinson's disease protein.

http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/47887/20160920/parkinson-s-disease-protein-impacting-brain-functions-healthy-humans.htm