Scientists trialled a new vaccine to treat #Parkinson’s. And the results are very promising http://t.co/pBxd8iSIwp pic.twitter.com/UpMbBpo23t
— The Conversation (@ConversationUK) August 1, 2014
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition associated with deposition of a brain protein known as alpha-synuclein. This protein clumps and seems to spread throughout the brain as Parkinson’s disease progresses. Many experts believe that much of the damage in Parkinson’s disease traces to the failure for the brain to process and to clear these proteins.The idea underpinning the Parkinson’s vaccine is simple. Patients will receive four injections with the hope that these injections will stimulate an immune system response against alpha-synuclein, and that antibodies will attack these brain proteins and ultimately clear them. Thirty-two human Parkinson’s disease patients will be part of a two year safety and tolerability study which has been named the PD01A project. The study is now underway in Vienna, and it aims to modify disease progression in Parkinson’s disease
