NIH R01 · 2024
The contribution of the vermiform appendix to Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. The hallmark pathology of PD in the brain is the presence of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates, along with the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The brain α-syn pathology is thought to start in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, since both GI dysfunction and the presence of α-syn aggregates in the GI tract usually precede motor symptoms by many years. In addition, experimental models show that α-syn aggregates can reach the brain from the gut via the vagal nerve. To understand GI tract contributions to PD, we performed a study that identified the human…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.