Parkinson's Disease Tulip


advertisement
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-12-2008, 11:22 AM #1
olsen's Avatar
olsen olsen is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,860
15 yr Member
olsen olsen is offline
Senior Member
olsen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,860
15 yr Member
Default immune system a major role in damaging dopamine cells

Published Wednesday | January 9, 2008
UNMC researchers find cause for worsening of Parkinson’s disease in mice
BY MICHAEL O'CONNOR
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER



Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have found a cause for the worsening of Parkinson's disease in mice.

The findings will help scientists develop vaccines aimed at curbing the progress of the neurodegenerative disease in humans, said Dr. Howard Gendelman, director of the Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Disorders at UNMC.

The research also included studying brain tissue of Parkinson's patients who died, said Gendelman, the scientist who directed the research.

The research, published recently in four journals, including the Public Library of Science, involved scientists at Columbia University in New York City and Rush Medical School in Chicago.

Dr. Harris Gelbard, a University of Rochester professor who is familiar with the research but not involved in it, said the work is an important step toward finding new ways to treat the disease.

"I'm hoping it takes us to the next level," he said.

Gendelman said that although the research brings UNMC closer to developing a vaccine that would prevent Parkinson's from getting worse, such a vaccine is still years away. Scientists worldwide are working on a vaccine.

About 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson's, according to the National Parkinson Foundation, but estimates vary. Symptoms include tremors, rigidity, slowed movement and impaired balance.

Gendelman said researchers made the discovery while testing a potential Parkinson's vaccine on mice. The vaccine has not been tested on humans.

Scientists have known that certain proteins clump together in parts of the brain. Those proteins become distorted and damage nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, which leads to Parkinson's symptoms. Dopamine coordinates smooth function of muscles and movement.

The vaccine was aimed at activating the immune system in the mice so it would break up the clumps of proteins.

The researchers discovered that not only was the immune system attacking the clumps of proteins, it also was destroying the dopamine cells, making Parkinson's worse.

They also found that the immune system even attacked the dopamine cells in mice that didn't receive the vaccine.

Researchers then examined the brain tissue of people with Parkinson's who had died.

The brain tissue showed signs that the immune system had played a major role in damaging dopamine cells, even though the Parkinson's patients had not received the vaccine.

Gendelman said the researchers concluded that the immune system's attack on the dopamine cells occurs naturally, as part of the disease.

The findings, he said, will guide researchers in developing vaccines that will do three things: activate the parts of the immune system that attack the protein clumps, suppress the part of the immune system that destroys the dopamine cells and regenerate damaged nerve cells.

R. Lee Mosley, a UNMC assistant professor, also was involved in the research. Gendelman credited the research of graduate students Ashley Reynolds and Eric Benner and postdoctoral fellow Rebecca Banerjee.



Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

Copyright ©2008 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
__________________
In the last analysis, we see only what we are ready to see, what we have been taught to see. We eliminate and ignore everything that is not a part of our prejudices.

~ Jean-Martin Charcot


The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed. William Gibson
olsen is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
"Thanks for this!" says:
imark3000 (01-12-2008)

advertisement
Old 01-12-2008, 01:00 PM #2
reverett123's Avatar
reverett123 reverett123 is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,772
15 yr Member
reverett123 reverett123 is offline
In Remembrance
reverett123's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,772
15 yr Member
Default I know science is a contact sport, but...

....these guys sure seem to be overlooking similar findings reported in dozens of papers over the last 15 years.

Nevertheless, the combination of immune response and stress hormones triggering inflammation, cell death, neurofunction disruption, and BBB leakage is coming on strong. That's what the dextromethorphan, turmeric, and so on are countering.

I do get a little uneasy at the idea of a "vaccine" that, presumably, would permanently alter the brain's defence system, though.
__________________
Born in 1953, 1st symptoms and misdiagnosed as essential tremor in 1992. Dx with PD in 2000.
Currently (2011) taking 200/50 Sinemet CR 8 times a day + 10/100 Sinemet 3 times a day. Functional 90% of waking day but fragile. Failure at exercise but still trying. Constantly experimenting. Beta blocker and ACE inhibitor at present. Currently (01/2013) taking ldopa/carbadopa 200/50 CR six times a day + 10/100 form 3 times daily. Functional 90% of day. Update 04/2013: L/C 200/50 8x; Beta Blocker; ACE Inhib; Ginger; Turmeric; Creatine; Magnesium; Potassium. Doing well.
reverett123 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Boosting the Immune System carolyn_lsc Vitamins, Nutrients, Herbs and Supplements 4 07-17-2007 03:29 PM
Single protein plays a major role in prion diseases Stitcher Parkinson's Disease 0 01-23-2007 04:45 PM
Dopamine Plays Critical Role in Sleep olsen Parkinson's Disease 0 10-10-2006 07:22 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:13 AM.

Powered by vBulletin • Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise v2.7.1 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
 

NeuroTalk Forums

Helping support those with neurological and related conditions.

 

The material on this site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment
provided by a qualified health care provider.


Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here.