http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0813171117.htm

Loss Of Two Types Of Neurons Triggers Parkinson's Symptoms, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2007) — New evidence indicates that the loss of two types of brain cells--not just one as previously thought--may trigger the onset of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease.


The evidence, based on mouse models, shows a link between the loss of both norepinephrine and dopamine neurons and the delayed onset of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. It was originally thought that the loss of only dopamine neurons triggered symptoms.....

....The dogma in the field is that Parkinson's disease involves a selective loss of dopamine neurons. The truth is, if you look at postmortem Parkinson's disease brains, you will see that both dopamine and norepinephrine neurons are gone," Dr. Weinshenker explains

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0813171117.htm


http://www.michaeljfox.org/newsEvent...cle.cfm?ID=231

Weinshenker adds that in terms of therapies for Parkinson's patients, "it might be worth treating the norepinephrine as well as the dopamine system," by supplementing the drug L-dopa, the current standard in care, with a tricyclic antidepressant, which is known to improve norepinephrine signaling."