Research achievements: unravelling the causes
Our research has provided vital clues to what goes
wrong deep inside the Parkinson's brain.
Understanding why cells die will help us develop new and better
treatments – moving us closer towards a cure.
Find out more:
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Professor
Anthony Schapira discusses breakthroughs in unravelling the causes
of Parkinson's - Listen here
First pieces of the puzzle
Parkinson's occurs when part of
the brain, no larger than the tip of your thumb, stop working
properly and the nerve cells die.
However, we still do not fully understand how or why
this happens.
"Understanding
Parkinson's is like doing a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle without
knowing what the final picture looks like.
"Researchers have spent the last 40 years laboriously putting
together the outer edges. But the jigsaw is starting to come
together and we are beginning to see the bigger picture."
Dr David Dexter,
Researcher
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Looking inside dying nerve
cells
Research we have funded has helped to pinpoint
oxidative stress and faulty mitochondria as key players inside the
nerve cells damaged by Parkinson's.
"Over 20 years ago, scientists found that certain
nerve cells in the brains of people with Parkinson's are damaged by
oxidative stress.
"Oxidative stress is a biochemical process – it's when toxic
chemicals build up inside cells causing them to die.
"Around the same time, our research revealed that the brains of
people with Parkinson's also have problems with tiny
energy-producing batteries called mitochondria.
"Every cell in our body contain mitochondria, which make energy
to keeps cells alive. When the mitochondria stop working properly,
the cells get sick and die."
Professor Anthony
Shapira,
Consultant Neurologist
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Finding 2 new genes for
Parkinson's
In 2004, researchers we funded identified 2 new genes
that cause hereditary forms of Parkinson's.
Less than 5% of people with Parkinson's have inherited the
condition from rare defects in genes. For everyone else,
Parkinson's is not inherited but caused by a combination of genes
that increase the risk and environmental factors such as diet and
lifestyle.
"In 2004, our research team found the PINK1 gene which
causes a rare form of inherited Parkinson's.
"Shortly afterwards we, along with colleagues from the USA,
uncovered another gene called LRRK2.
"These genes appear to be important for everyone and keep the
nerve cells working smoothly.
"By understanding how defects in these genes damage nerve cells,
we can help all people with Parkinson's."
Professor Nick Wood,
Consultant Neurologist
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