Translational research – applying the progress on understanding the Parkinson’s disease pathology to novel treatments

As more is understood about the aetiology of PD, and how the various known PD risk genes effect that risk, the challenge is in translating that knowledge into creating novel therapeutic approaches to help people with the disease.^1,3 Although it is obviously a rapidly developing field, there are currently many different therapeutic approaches under investigation that target the molecular pathways involving the SNCA, GBA1, LRRK2, and PRKN genes.^2,3

References:
1.Brundin P, Atkin G, Lamberts JT. Basic science breaks through: new therapeutic advances in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord 2015; 30 (11): 1521–1527.

2.Tolosa E, Vila M, Klein C, Rascol O. LRRK2 in Parkinson disease: challenges of clinical trials. Nat Rev Neurol 2020; 16 (2): 97–107.

3.Senkevich K, Rudakou U, Gan-Or Z. New therapeutic approaches to Parkinson’s disease targeting GBA, LRRK2 and Parkin. Neuropharmacology 2022; 202: 108822.