The scientific journal BBIH published a study that revealed an unexpected cause that increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
The magazine noted that a study conducted by scientists from Texas A&M University showed that viral infection may be a trigger for the development of Parkinson's disease, and the researchers reached that conclusion after developing a new model of the disease on mice.
Instead of using toxic substances or genetic modifications, the researchers infected the mice with a virus that occurs naturally among these animals. After just one week, the virus infiltrated the brain cells responsible for producing dopamine, and after a month it began destroying them. As a result, the mice developed disorders characteristic of Parkinson's disease, such as slowed walking, deteriorating motor coordination, and movement problems.
According to the researchers, the findings confirm that some viruses are capable of causing inflammation in the brain, which over time leads to the death of nerve cells. Moreover, the disease may develop years after infection, and its appearance is also likely to depend on the person's genetic makeup and other environmental factors.
The scientists noted that the experiments were conducted on laboratory animals, and the results still need to be confirmed through clinical trials on humans, but this data they obtained may help to better understand the causes of Parkinson's disease and accelerate the discovery of ways to detect and treat it early.
