Study to Test Brain’s ‘Plumbing System’ in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s – Parkinson’s News Today

Parkinsons UK and Alzheimers Research UK have teamed up to help fund a project that will test whether a waste disposal system in the brain could be exploited to help in the understanding and treatment of these diseases, Parkinsons UK announced.

The new project, which is expected to take about three years to complete, will focus specifically on the glymphatic system. This system, which was discovered only recently, helps to remove waste products from the brain.

The general idea behind the project is that, since both neurological diseases are associated with the abnormal and toxic buildup of clumps of protein in the brain (tau for Alzheimers and alpha-synuclein for Parkinsons), activating the glymphatic system could help remove these clumps and, by extension, fight the disease.

Studying how the glymphatic system affects the clearance of two distinct protein species that both accumulate in the brain and cause neurodegeneration means well be able to understand how best to harness the power of the system. This will hopefully allow us to provide a new therapeutic target for treatment of the conditions, Ian Harrison, PhD, saidin a press release. Harrison, a professor at University College London, will lead the project.

The glymphatic system is a functional waste clearance pathway for the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord); it works as the brains unique method to remove waste. It consists of a plumbing system that takes advantage of the brains blood vessels and pumps cerebral spinal fluid through the brains tissue, flushing away waste.

This system is highly active during sleep, clearing away toxins responsible for Parkinsons and other neurological disorders.

Using mouse models, Harrison and other researchers will track how tau and alpha-synuclein spread in the brain after the glymphatic systems activity has been altered (either diminished or increased). It also will determine the effect this change has on mouse behaviors that are related to neurological diseases, such as memory and movement capabilities.

Previous research has suggested that sleep, exercise and low levels of alcohol could help activate the glymphatic system. The new project will build on these findings; researchers also will investigate potential new therapies to target this system.

This is the first time well be studying the glymphatic systems role in clearing toxic proteins, and the potential it provides for developing new treatments which are urgently needed by people living with Parkinsons, said David Dexter, PhD, deputy director of research at Parkinsons UK.

Sara Imarisio, PhD, the head of research at at Alzheimers Research UK, added: The causes of Alzheimers disease are complex. While there are many differences between Parkinsons and Alzheimers, common biology between both diseases means that research into one condition can provide important insights into the other. This new research could shed light on a disease process that holds potential as a target for future drugs, and that could change the course of Alzheimers and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Marisa holds an MS in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. She specializes in cancer biology, immunology, and genetics. Marisa began working with BioNews in 2018, and has written about science and health for SelfHacked and the Genetics Society of America. She also writes/composes musicals and coaches the University of Pittsburgh fencing club.

Total Posts: 208

Ana holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Lisbon and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Instituto de Medicina Molecular (iMM) in Lisbon, Portugal. She graduated with a BSc in Genetics from the University of Newcastle and received a Masters in Biomolecular Archaeology from the University of Manchester, England. After leaving the lab to pursue a career in Science Communication, she served as the Director of Science Communication at iMM.

View original post here:
Study to Test Brain's 'Plumbing System' in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's - Parkinson's News Today