Researchers in Japan have achieved a significant milestone by using positron emission tomography (PET) to visualize how a substance associated with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia builds up in the brain. This breakthrough discovery is anticipated to pave the way for the creation of treatments aimed at addressing the root cause of these challenging diseases, much like the progress made in Alzheimer's research.
The research was spearheaded by a team predominantly from the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, marking a notable scientific advancement. The results of this groundbreaking study were published in the U.S. scientific journal Neuron on June 6, providing valuable insights into the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, a protein implicated in both Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia. Hironobu Endo, the chief neurology researcher at QST, emphasized the pressing need for innovative therapies to combat these diseases as their prevalence continues to rise with the aging population.
Parkinson's disease is characterized by tremors in the limbs and stiffness in the body, while individuals with Lewy body dementia can experience hallucinations, both conditions linked to the buildup of alpha-synuclein in brain cells. Prior to this research, imaging this protein directly in the brain was not feasible with PET or other techniques, hindering the development of targeted treatments. In a pivotal shift, the research team adapted a PET method used for Alzheimer's to create a specialized agent that binds strongly to alpha-synuclein, enabling the visualization of this crucial substance in the brains of patients.