Research Provides Insight into Suspected Parkinson’s Trigger

By Chris Bryant

Researchers at UA are offering clues as to why some people appear to have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease following exposure to a widely used chemical weed killer.

The research, published in a recent edition of the Journal of Neuroscience, pinpoints three genes within animal models which influence how susceptible they are to developing a Parkinson’s disease-like movement disorder, said Dr. Janis O’Donnell, a co-author of the research and a professor of biological sciences at UA.

“We found these genes do affect how susceptible these individuals are,” O’Donnell said. “Our hope is we can use this observation to discover other genes that might be influencing how these models, or human beings, might be more or less susceptible to these toxic agents.”

Full Story — 'Parkinson’s Trigger'