A discovery by the INc-UAB and other research centers
A group of scientists from the Neuroscience Institute of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (INc-UAB) has developed a new animal model that allows them to analyze the non-motor symptoms that appear in the earliest stages of Parkinson’s. Thus, they were able to determine the vital moment in which the disease begins and observe the accumulation process of the protein that causes it. The researchers say that this knowledge can be very useful in achieving an early diagnosis and looking for treatments that can stop neurodegeneration before it becomes irreversible.
The non-motor and motor symptoms of Parkinson’s
People who suffer from Parkinson’s, explain those responsible for the study, first present non-motor symptoms, such as sleep, smell or mood disorders, and then motor symptoms, such as tremors, stiffness or slowness. These symptoms are related, respectively, to the neurotransmitters GABA and dopamine, which are the substances that transmit signals between neurons. Parkinson’s is caused by the accumulation of the protein alpha-synuclein in the nervous system, which causes the death of neurons, especially those that produce dopamine. In addition to the abnormal accumulation of this protein and others, patients also have an increase in fats in various areas of the nervous system, although, the researchers say, it is not known for sure what role they play in the development of the disease
A cuc that simulates Parkinson’s
The INc-UAB research team has shown that its new animal model, based on the worm Caenorhabditis elegans RAC1/ced10, presents very early non-motor symptoms that depend on GABA neurotransmitters, and has confirmed the hypothesis that metabolism of lipids plays a key role in the development of the disease. Dr. Amanda Muñoz-Juan of the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), emphasizes that this worm “will serve us to investigate the changes in lipid ratios for the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, as well as the symptoms gabaergic initials. Both aspects precede the death of dopaminergic neurons and, therefore, studying them will allow us to investigate the molecular mechanisms prior to neurodegeneration”, he said.
A model organism for neuroscience
The authors of the study state that Caenorhabditis elegans is a very important model organism for neuroscience. They highlight the fact that many molecules involved in the neural signaling and metabolism of this nematode are the same in humans and that experimental models have made it possible to predict outcomes for human diseases. “C. elegans is ideal for neurodegeneration studies because it has a short lifespan of 15 to 20 days. This means that it is not expensive to monitor the whole process”, explains Dr. Dalfó, research coordinator and professor of medicine at UVic-UCC. “In addition, its nervous system is so simple – it only has 302 neurons, of which 8 are dopaminergic and 26 GABAergic – which allows us to follow all the changes that take place”, he adds.
A window into the early stages of Parkinson’s
“The new model we have created opens a window into the search for the early stages of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies before reaching neuronal death, and will allow research into drugs that can help stop the disease before it is too late ”, remarks Dalfó. In the work, coordinated by the INc-UAB, researchers from the Institute of Materials Sciences of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), the University of Alabama (USA), the University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) and the Institute for Research and Innovation in Life and Health Sciences in Central Catalonia (IRIS-CC).
