New insights suggest alpha-synuclein may not behave as a prion

Written by Alice Weatherston

While it is well-known that the protein alpha-synuclein aggregates within the neurons of individuals with Parkinson’s disease and propagates across connected brain regions, the mechanism underlying these changes has so far remained unclear. Many studies have proposed ‘prion-like’ behavior of the protein triggered by alterations in the formation of alpha-synuclein, however a recent study carried out by a team of researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE; Bonn, Germany) has proposed an alternative mechanism for disease progression. The findings were published recently in BRAIN. Utilizing a custom viral vector, a blueprint of the human alpha-synuclein gene was transferred...

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