To read more on this topic click here.
Monkey study could lead to new Parkinson’s therapies
News
Author: Simge Eva DoganPublished: 13 September 2018
Prep:
Cook:
Serves:

Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, US, are using marmosets – a small monkey species that can mimic the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s – to better understand brain changes caused by the condition.
The study – published in science journal ‘PLOS ONE’ – induced the monkeys with Parkinson’s motor symptoms such as tremors and used devices similar to Fitbits to monitor their activities.
Researchers hope that further analysis will lead to new therapies for people living with the condition.
Marcel Daadi, associate scientist at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and lead author of the study, said: “There are some complex aspects of this disease you simply cannot investigate using rodents in a way that is relevant to human patients.
“Nonhuman primates are critical in [this] aspect because we can see these symptoms clearly whether it is the dyskinesia (abnormality or impairment of voluntary movements), or the sleep disturbances that you can monitor.”
For information on the latest Parkinson’s research please visit Parkinson’s Europe website.
Last Month
Next Month
Share this story
Related articles

Perspectives
Painting a picture of life with Parkinson’s
Australian artist Timothy John describes his work
READ MORE
Europe
Tony’s two-wheel tour: a man, a bike and a Parkinson’s promise
Daily diary entries during epic 11-day bike tour across the Alps
READ MORE
Interviews
Parkinson’s disease and pregnancy: “There is so much we still don’t know”
We hear from five women about their experiences
READ MORE
Comments