Scientists discover possible Parkinson's trigger in breakthrough new research

Scientists have identified a potential cause of Parkinson's disease that could help lead to treatment of the incurable condition.

Findings published today in Molecular Psychiatry show that Parkinson's symptoms my ignite from damaged DNA that becomes "toxic" to the body. Researchers say the ground-breaking discovery is a major development in the understanding of the disease and progression towards future treatments. “For the first time, we can show that mitochondria, the vital energy producers within brain cells, particularly neurons, undergo damage, leading to disruptions in mitochondrial DNA. This initiates and spreads the disease like a wildfire through the brain,” says study lead Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas.

Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas adds: “Our findings establish that the spread of the damaged genetic material, the mitochondrial DNA, causes the symptoms reminiscent of Parkinson’s disease and its progression to dementia.”

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Researchers find mitochondrial DNA damage triggers spread of Parkinson's disease-like pathologyUntil recently, our understanding of Parkinson's disease has been quite limited, which has been apparent in the limited treatment options for management of this debilitating condition.
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