Stimulating spinal cord protects against Parkinson’s symptoms

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Long-term treatment that involves electrically stimulating the spinal cord has improved symptoms of Parkinson's disease in rats. Publishing the results of their study in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from Duke Medicine are hopeful their findings could help human Parkinson's patients.

The team, led by Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, professor of neurobiology at Duke University, built on their own previous research, which showed that stimulating rats' spinal cords with electrical signals temporarily eased symptoms of the disease.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition, which is caused by the loss of neurons that produce dopamine in the brain. It affects movement, control of muscles and balance, and it can also cause stiffness, eye problems and sleep problems, among many other symptoms.

"Finding novel treatments that address both the symptoms and progressive nature of Parkinson's disease is a major priority," says Dr. Nicolelis.

The current treatment for Parkinson's is a drug called L-dopa, and it works by replacing dopamine. However, the researchers say it can cause side effects and, over time, lose its effectiveness.

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Stimulating spinal cord protects against Parkinson's symptoms