Genetic discovery ‘could aid treatment of Parkinson’s disease’

A new gene linked to nerve function has been discovered that could be the key to treating conditions such as Parkinson's disease in future.

The King's College London study has isolated a gene that may represent a treatment target for switching off key processes associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's.

It was found that damaged mitochondria in fruit flies produce a signal that stops nerve cells from working, but that the HIFalpha gene played a key role in regulating these nerve signals.

When this gene was switched off by the research team, nerve function in flies with Parkinson's disease was restored; moreover, when deactivating the HIFalpha gene, the early failure of nerve cells caused by mitochondrial damage was prevented.

Dr Joseph Bateman from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London said: "Thanks to this study we now have a much better understanding of how nerve cells function, which could transform the way in which neurological diseases such as Parkinson's are understood and treated."

As the HIFalpha gene is also found in humans, this new finding could pave the way for new treatments in the future.