Parkinson’s Disease Can Be Reversed Through Injecting Nanoparticles Into The Brain

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease could be reversed through injections of nanoparticles into the brain, which is a much less invasive procedure than existing treatments. It could reduce side effects like anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.
Researchers from China showed that injections of the particle into the brains of mice can minimize the movement-related symptoms associated with the disease.
Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by motor problems such as slow movement, impaired balance, muscle stiffness, and tremors.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, almost one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease. By the end of the decade, this figure is expected to rise to 1.2 million.
In patients with Parkinson’s disease, a protein called “a-synuclein” becomes deformed. It clumps together into harmful fibrils and larger masses known as Lewy bodies. The protein is involved in regulating neurotransmitters.
These abnormal buildups interfere with brain cell function, leading to the degeneration of neurons that produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter involved in memory, movement, and motivation.
A common treatment known as deep-brain stimulation is used to combat this. Patients are implanted with electrodes in certain parts of the brain that send electrical impulses into the brain to help regulate neural activity.
However, electrode-based deep-brain stimulation is highly invasive. As a result, it can cause cognitive decline, anxiety, and depression.
In recent years, less invasive alternatives have been developed, including transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. These types of approaches are rather limited.

Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
A research team led by Professor Chunying Chen of China’s National Center for Nanoscience and Technology has developed a form of direct brain stimulation based on nanoparticles that are activated by near-infrared laser pulses. The procedure does not require any brain implants.
“These orchestrated actions restored pathological dopamine neurons and locomotor behaviors of Parkinson’s disease,” wrote the researchers.
Each nanoshell consists of three main components: a central gold nanoshell, a set of “targeting” arms, and “degradation” arms.
The arms let the nanoparticles bind to and destroy a-synuclein fibrils, while the gold nanoshells target and stimulate a receptor in dopamine-producing neurons that is sensitive to temperature.
The laser light from the nanoshell is translated into heat. The researchers conducted experiments on mice with Parkinson’s disease and found that the laser-activated nanoparticles restored dopamine-producing neurons in the rodents and improved their motor functions.
Since the method has only been tested on mice so far, it won’t be applied to humans anytime soon. Further research is needed to delve into the mechanisms behind it.
“Overall, this proof-of-concept study provides valuable insights for future investigations aiming to expand the field of direct brain stimulation without the need for additional implantation of conduits or genetic manipulation,” concluded the authors of the study.
The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.
More About:News