RESEARCHERS at the University of York have found a new way to identify potential young sufferers of Parkinson’s disease.
A team at the university’s department of biology has found that tremors and mobility problems associated with the disease, symptoms known as bradykinesia, may be due to a defect in the patient’s nervous system.
Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and innovation at Parkinson’s UK, said the research “may be the key to treatments that can slow or even stop Parkinson’s in its tracks.”
The findings were made as researchers into juvenile Parkinson’s disease, which affects people under the age of 40, studied the effect of parkin, one of the genes which cause the disease, on the larva of fruit flies.
Parkinson’s is the second most common form of neurodegenerative disease, and usually affects over 60s, but one in 20 juvenile PD sufferers are under 40, and early onset PD is often inherited.
Results showed the gene caused reduced speed and slower muscle contractions in the insects, similar to juvenile PD, and oxygen consumption was reduced. Dr Chris Elliott, who led the study, said the problems with motor skills was a consequence of the disease, and oxidative stress, where the nervous system creates high levels of hydrogen peroxide, was a symptom and not a cause of the disease.
Dr Elliot said: “Our experimental evidence confirmed that this was due to a defect in the nervous system.
“This was important because previous work had suggested a big impact on the muscles, but PD is associated with neuronal failure.”
It is hoped that the research, which was part-funded by research charity Parkinson’s UK and published in Human Molecular Genetics, could identify those susceptible to juvenile PD at an earlier age.
Global university
THE University of York also has an established and growing reputation in medical research and today we report its pioneering work to find a new way of identifying potential young sufferers of Parkinson’s disease.
It is already turning out to be an incredible year for the university. Last week it discovered how human viruses, including HIV, reproduce, and a national award has been won by a research student who is studying how yeast can help in cancer research.
Such work will not only bolster the university’s global standing and will hopefully attract not only more great minds to York, but increased research grants as well. Then there is the greater good to society from the ground-breaking work carried out in its laboratories.
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