14 DAY TRIAL // A group of investigators from the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute announces the discovery of a previously-unknown, gene-environmental interaction. This effect, the scientists say, can lead to the destruction of dopamine-producing neurons, opening the way for the development of neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Dopamine concentrations are severely affected by Parkinson's. As a neurotransmitter, this chemical plays an important role in controlling movements and coordination, traits that are significantly impaired in patients with this condition. A paper detailing the study appears in the latest online issue of the journal Cell.
In the new study, scientists found that exposure to pesticides can lead to genetic interactions that diminish dopamine production in the brain. At the same time, the team was also able to discover a molecule that can help prevent this type of damage, potentially reversing the negative dopamine effects.
“For the first time, we have used human stem cells derived from Parkinson's disease patients to show that a genetic mutation combined with exposure to pesticides creates a 'double hit' scenario, producing free radicals in neurons that disable specific molecular pathways that cause nerve-cell death,” says study leader Stuart Lipton, MD, PhD, quoted by e! Science News.