New Parkinson’s Treatment
(Ivanhoe Newswire) ““ Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects 1-2% of the population over 65 years old. The disease is a result of loss of function of nerve cells in the brain that coordinate movement. The hallmark symptom of PD is trembling hands, arms, legs, jaw and face. Stiffness of the limbs and trunks, slowness of movement, and impaired balance and coordination are also seen. Currently, there isn’t a cure for PD but researchers may have homed in on a new effective treatment.
A team of researchers, led by Chung-Chin Kuo, at National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taiwan, has now shown that pharmacological blockade of T-type calcium channels reduces deficiencies in the ability to move normally in a rat model of PD. This, and other observations, leads them to suggest that targeting T-type calcium channels could provide a new approach to treating individuals with PD.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Investigation