Single protein causes Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy

[Kyla]

http://www.kuleuven.be/english/news...arkinsons-disease-and-multiple-system-atrophy

Single protein causes Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy


Parkinson's disease is induced by alpha-synuclein strains shaped like 'cylinders' (c) Shutterstock

10 June 2015

Several neurodegenerative disorders are caused by aggregates of a single protein known as alpha-synuclein. In collaboration with CNRS and the University of Antwerp, KU Leuven neurobiologists have discovered that the shape of these aggregates – ‘cylinders’ or ‘ribbons’ – determines whether a patient develops Parkinson’s disease or Multiple System Atrophy, respectively...

Read the rest here:
http://www.kuleuven.be/english/news...arkinsons-disease-and-multiple-system-atrophy


And the journal article is here:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature14547.html

...I thought the write up might be much more understandable for most of us, rather than the actual article, which is titled:
α-Synuclein strains cause distinct synucleinopathies after local and systemic administration

 

[Bob]

Interesting research but perhaps a bit premature to say that they've found the cause of Parkinson's? It would be great if they have though.