One of the keys to making progress in determining the causes of Parkinson\u2019s is having the right investigational tools.<\/p>\n
At the Universit\u00e9 de Montreal, PhD candidate Emilie Legault, a neuroscientist, is excited about new technology she has to help her discover the role aging plays in non-familial, or idiopathic, forms of Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main risk factor for this form of Parkinson\u2019s is aging,\u201d Legault says. \u201cWhat we wanted to do is develop models to study the aging effect on neurons in these idiopathic cases.\u201d<\/p>\n
Previously, researchers using cellular models to study the death of dopamine-producing brain cells had to use rejuvenated or embryonic cells. Unlike most people who develop Parkinson\u2019s, the cell models hadn\u2019t aged.<\/p>\n
Now, Legault can convert skin cells into brain cells while keeping the cells at the same age as their donors.<\/p>\n
Using cells donated from people 60 to 90 who have Parkinson\u2019s, she can investigate the effect aging has on those cells.<\/p>\n
Legault will expose the neurons to toxins that can create a Parkinson-like environment for the cells.<\/p>\n
Then she\u2019ll compare the ability of the older brain cells to process stress and to clear away damaged mitochondria, the powerhouse portion of cells that generate energy.<\/p>\n
A buildup of damaged mitochondria damages brain cells that produce dopamine, the central chemical responsible for movement. So too can oxidative stress: an imbalance between oxygen-containing molecules and stabilizing molecules in the body.<\/p>\n
Legault will compare recycling and regulatory functions of cells from people with Parkinson\u2019s with the abilities of cells donated by people without Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n
If older neurons are less effective at recycling and regulating, that may be among the reasons people develop Parkinson\u2019s as they age.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, there is no drug that prevents the progression of the disease, and I think it\u2019s because in the past we didn\u2019t have the tools to study properly what would stop that progression,\u201d Legault says.<\/p>\n
She hopes to be able to classify the donor cells into two different groups \u2013 people who get Parkinson\u2019s because they can\u2019t clear damaged mitochondria, and those whose cells die because they can\u2019t regulate stress, as well as to determine if different age groups have different causes.<\/p>\n
Legault\u2019s findings could open the door to different treatments depending on what is causing the Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Legault, whose late grandmother had Parkinson\u2019s, hopes her work will someday contribute to the development of personalized medicine.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat would be the greatest outcome \u2013 for each and every patient, depending on their situation, their age, their condition, to have the proper medication that would be most effective for them and would stop the progression of Parkinson\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"template":"","class_list":["post-32222","profile","type-profile","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t