Protein to Blame for Parkinson’s Disease

Millions of people suffer from Parkinson’s disease — a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and progresses over time. As the world’s population ages, it is estimated that the number of people with this disease will rise sharply. Yet despite several effective therapies that treat Parkinson’s symptoms, nothing slows its progression.

While the cause of the disease remains unknown, clues point to one culprit: a protein called α-synuclein that has been found to be common to all Parkinson’s patients. This protein is considered a pathway to the disease when it binds together in “clumps,” or aggregates, and becomes toxic, killing the brain’s neurons. For more information, click here to read the full release