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The findings have been presented in a new article published in the prestigious journal npj Parkinson's disease, which is part of the Nature portfolio.
The following text has been machine translated from the German with no human editing.
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's dementia. According to the German Society for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, around 400,000 people are affected in Germany alone. The cause is believed to be the death of cells in a specific region of the brain, the substantia nigra, which synthesises the neurotransmitter dopamine. A lack of dopamine leads to motor dysfunction such as tremors and slowed movement, as well as non-motor symptoms such as loss of smell or dementia. To date, there is no causal treatment for this disease. Therefore, intensive research is being conducted to identify biomarkers and risk factors in order to better understand the causes of the disease and develop more targeted therapies. Two independent risk factors have been described in recent years: changes in certain genes that are often associated with familial Parkinson's disease, and environmental pollutants that directly damage the brain.
However, the new, multidimensional approach developed in recent years by Saarbrücken professors Rita Bernhardt and Julia Schulze-Hentrich in various research projects – funded in part by the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation in Mannheim – shows that Parkinson's has far more complex causes. In particular, they have closely examined the role of certain enzymes involved in many different metabolic pathways in the human organism in relation to the development of Parkinson's disease. They were able to show that, in addition to the genetic causes and environmental factors discussed so far, changes in the cytochrome P450 genes play a decisive role; These genes encode enzymes that are involved in a variety of metabolic pathways in the human organism, such as the conversion and breakdown of environmental toxins and drugs in the body. In addition, they control the metabolism of fatty acids, anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamins A and D, and are responsible for cholesterol breakdown in the brain.
Their conclusion: Ultimately, the complex interaction between genetic disorders and the corresponding proteins that catalyse various metabolic pathways, together with environmental effects and genetic and epigenetic factors, leads to the development and progression of the disease.
‘The development of Parkinson's disease involves complex interactions between genetic predisposition, inflammation, environmental factors and ageing processes,’ summarises Julia Schulze-Hentrich. Her colleague Rita Bernhardt, who initiated research into the role of cytochromes P450 in the development of Parkinson's disease in 2020, is particularly pleased about the prospect of better treatment options for those affected: "The results of this multidimensional approach explain the diverse manifestations of the disease and open up new possibilities for personalised therapy – i.e. therapy tailored to the individual patient. However, further research will be necessary to achieve this."
Original publication:
Bernhardt, R., Schulze-Hentrich, J.: A multi-dimensional view on the etiology of Parkinson's disease. npj Parkinson's Disease volume 11, Article number: 294 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-025-01150-5
Further information:
Prof. Dr. Rita Bernhardt
Universität des Saarlandes, Institut für Biochemie
E-Mail: ritabern(at)mx.uni-saarland.de
http://bernhardt.biochem.uni-sb.de
Prof. Dr. Julia Schulze-Hentrich
Universität des Saarlandes, Genetik/ Epigenetik
E-Mail: julia.schulze-hentrich(at)uni-saarland.de
https://www.uni-saarland.de/lehrstuhl/schulze-hentrich.html
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