Progress is being made in Preventing toxic protein clumps.
Alpha-synuclein is the sticky protein that clumps in brain cells in Parkinson’s, and scientists believe that those clumps (called Lewy bodies) are toxic and lead to cell death. Because Lewy bodies likely play a primary role in disease progression and are seen in the brains of all people with PD, alpha-synuclein is our most promising target for a drug to stop or slow Parkinson’s disease. At this point, at least two approaches are in clinical trials.
To learn more, read the FoxFeed Blog from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.