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Carnegie Mellon University neuroscientists have identified two groups of neurons that can be turned on and off to alleviate the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The activation of these cells in the basal ganglia relieves symptoms much longer than current therapies, such as deep brain stimulation and pharmaceuticals.
The study, completed in a mouse model of Parkinson’s, used optogenetics to better understand the neural circuitry involved in Parkinson’s disease and could provide the basis for new experimental treatment protocols.Image credit: Carnegie Mellon University
