Abstract

CURRENT STATUS AND NOVEL STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Swapna V. Lajurkar*, Vandana S. Nade, Prajakta V. Bhoir and Nasar Ali Kardus

Abstract

Parkinson’s Disease is a chronic, second most common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. The pathological role of several factors namely, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, protein misfolding, mitochondrial dysfunction and genetic predispositions has been highlighted however, its etiology remains unknown. Clinical pathology shows that parkinson’s disease involves progressive premature death of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and abnormal protein aggregates termed Lewy bodies (LW), which contain α-synuclein. Current treatments for parkinson’s disease give symptomatic relief in patients and improve their motor function. Thus, parkinson’s disease remains an incurable disease and quality of life of parkinson’s disease patients get affected. Therefore, it is very important to understand the pathophysiologies of Parkinson’s disease and focus on the new therapeutic strategies for the treatment and develop new therapies for the betterment of patients. Under new treatment options gene and cell/ stem cell-based therapies, neurosurgeries, insulin resistance therapies, natural products are currently being studied in animal models of parkinson’s disease or recently been tested in clinical trials. Thus, these new therapeutic targets would be the best options for prevention and treatment of parkinson’s disease patients.

Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease, Stem Cell Therapy, ?-Synuclein, Gene Therapy.