Degenerative Changes That Mimic Parkinson's Linked To Reduced Dopamine Storage

Science Daily — Emory University neuroscientists have discovered what could serve as a model for slowing the progression of Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative condition that affects more than 1 million people in the U.S.

The study, published in the July 25 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, found that mice with a reduced capacity to store the brain chemical dopamine underwent a degenerative process that mimics Parkinson's disease.

"We've uncovered solid evidence that improper storage of dopamine can be harmful to the dopamine neurons in the brain," says Gary W. Miller, PhD, study principal investigator, associate professor in the Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, and associate professor of environmental and occupational health in Emory's Rollins School of Public Health.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0725210019.htm