New molecule could reverse neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s

Researchers at a university in Spain have discovered a new molecule which they claim can block and reverse neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s.

The molecule – named SynuClean-D – is able to reduce alpha-synuclein aggregations which cause degeneration.

The study – published in science journal ‘PNAS’ – explains how researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, tested over 14,000 molecules before discovering SynuClean-D.

They then tested the molecule on a Caenorhabditis worm – one of the most commonly used animals when researching neurodegenerative diseases – finding that it boosted its mobility and protected it from neural degeneration.

Salvador Ventura, the study coordinator, said: “Everything seems to indicate that the molecule we identified, the SynuClean-D, may provide therapeutic applications for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s in the future.”