US team finds Parkinson's risk factor
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
In what could pave the way to a screening test for Parkinson's disease, US researchers have identified a biomarker for the disorder. The researchers found that high levels of MAO-B, an enzyme that regulates nerve activity in the brain, cause Parkinsonian symptoms in mice. The research could lead to earlier diagnosis and hence treatment of the condition, which could help slow disease progression, claimed the researchers, based at the Buck Institute for Age Research, in Novato, California. The findings are published in the February 20 issue of online Journal PLoS One.