60 AND ABOVE

Possible trigger for Parkinson’s disease identified

A glitch in the way cells clear damaged proteins could be the trigger for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. A US team focused on a process called autophagy in which cells digest and recycle damaged molecules, including proteins, that develop as cells grow older. This system essentially renews cells to keep them functioning properly. This mechanism is also important for nerve cells in the brain where defective proteins can kill cells and cause the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as tremors. Problems in this process have also been linked with other neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease, according to the article in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The finding could potentially lead to drugs to treat the symptoms but not cure the disease.