New funding for University of Cambridge to shed light on why nerve cells die 

10 June 2009

The Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) has announced funding of nearly £100,000 to Dr Bazbek Davletov at the University of Cambridge for exciting new research into a factor, called alpha-synuclein, which plays a vital role in the development of Parkinson's disease. 

The death of specific nerve cells results in a decrease of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that relays messages between nerve cells. All of the drugs currently used to treat Parkinson's try to replace this chemical. However, we are not actually treating the condition itself and we need to carry out innovative research to find out exactly why nerve cells die. 

Alpha-synuclein, which is a key player in Parkinson's, may be involved in influencing the levels of dopamine and also cause nerve cells to die, but we don't know how it may do this.

Mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene have been linked to Parkinson's that occurs in younger people. It is also found in Lewy bodies, which are clumps of proteins inside nerve cells, which are a typical hallmark of the condition. This suggests that it plays a vital role in the condition.

Dr Davletov, who will be leading the research, comments,

"Our research aims to shed new light on why the dopamine-releasing nerve cells stop working properly in Parkinson's. This will help us develop drugs that can slow, halt or reverse the progression of the condition."

Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Development at the Parkinson's Disease Society, adds:

"We are delighted to be funding pioneering research such as this which will get us closer to the root cause of Parkinson's by helping us to understand why nerve cells actually die. Learning more about the causes of Parkinson's will move us ever closer to finding a cure."

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