Groundbreaking analysis by the University of Sydney has recognized a brand new mind protein concerned within the improvement of Parkinson’s illness and a solution to modify it, paving the way in which for future remedies for the illness.
Parkinson’s illness is the second most typical neurological {condition} after dementia, with over 150,000 folks in Australia residing with the {condition}.
The analysis group, led by Professor Kay Double from the Brain and Mind Center, has spent greater than a decade finding out the organic mechanisms underpinning the {condition}, with the intention of discovering new remedies to gradual or cease its development.
In 2017, the group printed a paper in Acta Neuropathologica, figuring out for the primary time the presence of an irregular type of a protein—referred to as SOD1—within the brains of sufferers identified with Parkinson’s illness.
Normally, the SOD1 protein supplies protecting advantages to the mind however, in Parkinson’s sufferers, it turns into defective, inflicting the protein to clump and injury mind cells.
The latest study by the identical University of Sydney group, published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications, builds on this analysis. It discovered that concentrating on the defective SOD1 protein with a drug remedy improved the motor perform in mice bred to have Parkinson-like signs.
Professor Double stated, “All the mice we handled noticed a dramatic enchancment of their motor expertise, which is a extremely promising signal it might be efficient in treating individuals who have Parkinson’s illness too.
“We hoped that by treating this malfunctioning protein, we would have the ability to enhance the Parkinson-like signs within the mice we have been treating—however even we have been astonished by the success of the intervention.”
The study concerned two teams of mice bred to have Parkinson-like signs. One group of mice was handled with a particular copper complement for 3 months, whereas the opposite obtained a placebo.
Throughout the review, the mice receiving the placebo noticed a decline of their motor signs. The mice receiving the particular copper complement, nevertheless, didn’t develop motion issues.
Professor Double stated, “The outcomes have been past our expectations and counsel, as soon as additional research are carried out, this remedy strategy may gradual the development of Parkinson’s illness in people.”
“As our understanding of Parkinson’s illness grows, we’re discovering that there are numerous elements contributing to its improvement and development in people—and defective types of the SOD1 protein is probably going one among them.
“Just as researchers discovered with HIV, Parkinson’s illness is a fancy {condition} that seemingly requires a number of interventions. A single remedy could have a small impact when used alone however, when mixed with different interventions, contributes to a major total enchancment in well being.”
The researchers’ subsequent step is to establish the most effective strategy to concentrating on the defective SOD1 protein in a medical trial, which might be the beginning of a brand new remedy to gradual the event of Parkinson’s illness.
More data:
Benjamin D. Rowlands et al, Copper supplementation mitigates Parkinson-like wild-type SOD1 pathology and nigrostriatal degeneration in a novel mouse model, Acta Neuropathologica Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s40478-025-02048-2
Citation:
Targeting newly-identified mind protein brings hope of latest remedy for Parkinson’s illness ( 26)
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