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Study identifies gene that contributes to Parkinson's disease
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MJFF has funded over $142 million in research to date
A new study helps to explain why people who carry mutations in a gene known as Nurr1 develop a rare, inherited form of Parkinson's disease (PD), the most prevalent movement disorder in people over the age of 65. A research team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla has identified a protein in the brain of mice that protects neurons from excessive inflammation, which can lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Their study, which identifies the protective function of a protein called Nurr1 and defines the pathway by which it works, was published in the April 3rd edition of the medical journal Cell.
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The four primary symptoms of PD are trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowness of movement; and impaired balance and coordination. As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson's Research will fund up to $6.5 million for research programs designed to accelerate solutions to some of the most difficult hurdles standing in the way of breakthrough therapeutics for Parkinson's disease.
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