When brain cells burn out and die, there is a greater risk for the development of Parkinson’s disease. According to the findings from a recent study, not all brain cells can survive the rigors of normal brain function; some that succumb could lead to the development of the progressive motor dysfunction characteristic of Parkinson’s Disease.
Certain neurons have huge energy demands
The study published in Current Biology investigated the cause of death predominantly observed in certain populations of neurons in the brain. They found that some regions of the brain consume more energy more rapidly than the others. Cells in this region appear to tire out sooner and die prematurely, thereby causing a deficit in the functions controlled by that set of brain cells.
Parkinson’s disease results from the deficiency of a specific cell population
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that nearly one million people are living with, in the US. The exact cause for the development of Parkinson’s Disease is unknown; loss of dopamine-producing cells specifically from a region called the substantia nigra is known to precipitate it. Dopamine is a chemical messenger involved in communicating signals related to motor function and coordinated movement. Lack of dopamine in Parkinson’s disease therefore manifests itself as tremors, rigidity, a shuffling gait, and impaired balance. The researchers found that cells in the substantia nigra burn out sooner than other brain cells.
The study’s findings could result in therapies targeted at the minimizing cell burnout
The researchers found that the cells in the substantia nigra differ from other cells that produce dopamine in that the nigral cells have excruciating energy demands, have low capacity to store energy and have multiple branches of axons. Mitochondria⎯the cell organelle that generates the fuel source⎯in nigral cells are performing at maximum capacity. This, and the high axonal branching seen in these cells drain the energy sooner and diminish the capacity of the cells to produce any more, resulting in an early demise. This finding shed light on what causes nigral neurons to die at rates higher than other brain cells. This could spur research efforts in Parkinson’s therapies that lower energy consumption and afford efficient utilization of energy.
