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Parkinson's patients could be helped by new information from studies on tiny tropical fish.
Research on zebrafish has revealed how to regenerate damaged brain cells in people with Parkinson's disease.
The results offer clues that may one day lead to treatments for neurological disease, which causes movement problems and tremors.
Parkinson's disease occurs when specialized nerve cells in the brain are destroyed. These cells are responsible for the production of a major chemical called dopamine.
When these cells die or are damaged, the loss of dopamine alters the body's movements. Once these cells are lost from the human brain, they can not be repaired or replaced.
The researchers found that in zebrafish, dopamine-producing nerve cells are constantly being replaced by dedicated stem cells in the brain.
The team, led by the University of Edinburgh, discovered that the immune system plays a key role in this process. In some regions of the zebrafish brain, the process does not work, however.
Researchers say that understanding the immune signals that facilitate the replacement of these nerve cells could be an important clue to developing treatments for people.
The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Medical Research Council.
Dr. Thomas Becker, of the Center for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said: "We are delighted to find that zebrafish have a much higher regenerative capacity for dopaminergic neurons than humans. Understanding the signals that underlie the regeneration of these nerve cells could be important in identifying future treatments for Parkinson's disease. "
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Material provided by University of Edinburgh. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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