Neurological diseases affect millions of Canadians, yet understanding their molecular causes remains challenging. To address this, Dr. Mizumoto is using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to study neural circuit development. With only 302 neurons and a short life cycle, C. elegans offers an ideal model for exploring neuron communication and synapse formation.
Researchers often assess treatment impact using generic questionnaires, but these may not fully capture the experiences of people with Parkinson’s disease. At McMaster University, Assistant Professor Ayse Kuspinar is developing a questionnaire specifically for PD patients to reflect their unique concerns.
Parkinson’s disease affects millions globally, and there is no standard treatment to halt its progression. A promising approach involves targeting the protein glucocerebrosidase (GCase), as boosting its activity could slow PD’s advancement.
Inflammation and genetics are two key factors linked to Parkinson’s disease, but neither alone may trigger the disease. Dr. Michael Schlossmacher, from the University of Ottawa Research Institute, is studying the interaction between inflammation and a gene mutation, LRRK2, found in people with PD.
At the University of British Columbia, neuroscientist Jordan Follett is studying the retromer complex, which plays a key role in RNA sorting within cells. Follett’s research focuses on how mutations in this complex can disrupt the proper positioning of RNA, a crucial step for protein production, especially in dopamine-producing neurons.
Dr. Michele Matarazzo, a neurologist at the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, is using advanced Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to study dopamine loss in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. By tracking this change from early symptoms to advanced stages, he aims to better understand how Parkinson’s progresses over time.
At Laval University, Professor Frédéric Calon is re-examining the substantia nigra, a brain region crucial to Parkinson’s, to better understand its role in the condition. While much research has been based on 50-year-old tissue samples, Calon’s work aims to correlate modern brain tissue samples with the symptoms of those who had PD. He believes this could lead to new treatments or prevention methods.
Dr. Antonio Strafella at Toronto Western Hospital is using advanced PET imaging to explore the possibility that Parkinson’s disease may actually represent multiple, distinct neurological conditions. By injecting a tracer into the bloodstream, he can measure the density of synapses in the brain, which decline as dopamine-producing cells are lost. This breakthrough allows researchers to observe disease progression in living patients, rather than at autopsy.
Dr. Christina Gros has developed a chemical probe to measure glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity, an enzyme linked to Parkinson’s disease. Mutations in the GCase gene are a major genetic risk factor for PD, and its activity decreases in patients. Gros’s method, using a simple blood sample, could enable earlier detection of PD before symptoms appear and help track disease progression and treatment responses.
