BRAIN BITES

BY DR WAEL MY MOHAMED

Dr Wael MY Mohamed is with the Department of Basic Medical Science , Kulliyyah of Medicine , International Islamic University Malaysia ( IIUM ).

In Parkinson ’ s mice models , this chemical enhanced mobility for nearly 20 hours - significantly beyond the duration of the current medication , L-Dopa .

A novel chemical has shown encouraging outcomes in the treatment of Parkinson ’ s disease , exceeding the efficacy of the commonly used L-Dopa .

This advancement provides optimism for the treatment of motor symptoms and may perhaps mitigate the adverse effects associated with the prolonged use of L-Dopa .

Researchers are enthusiastic about the potential for more efficacious treatments that might decelerate disease development or possibly reverse some facets of Parkinson ’ s disease .

This discovery challenges the longstanding notion that dopamine is the only contributor to motor control .

Researchers are now investigating the use of ophthalmic acid as a prospective therapy for movement disorders , providing optimism for enhanced therapeutic options .

A study team from the University of California , Irvine , has discovered that ophthalmic acid , a molecule in the brain , functions unexpectedly as a neurotransmitter akin to dopamine

in the regulation of motor function , presenting a novel treatment target for Parkinson ’ s disease and other movement disorders .

In the study published in the October edition of the journal Brain , researchers found that ophthalmic acid binds to and activates calcium-sensing receptors in the brain , correcting movement deficits in Parkinson ’ s animal models for almost 20 hours . The debilitating neurodegenerative

“ The debilitating neurodegenerative illness impacts millions of individuals globally over the age of 50 . Symptoms , including tremors , shaking , and reduced mobility , result from diminishing dopamine levels in the brain due to neuronal degeneration . ”

illness impacts millions of individuals globally over the age of 50 . Symptoms , including tremors , shaking , and reduced mobility , result from diminishing dopamine levels in the brain due to neuronal degeneration .

L-Dopa , the primary medication for therapy , works by substituting the depleted dopamine and has a duration of two to three hours .

Although initially effective , the efficacy of L-Dopa diminishes with time , and prolonged use results in dyskinesia - uncontrollable , irregular muscle movements in the patient ’ s face , arms , legs , and torso .

These results represent a significant breakthrough that potentially redefines neuroscience by contesting the over-60-year-old perspective that dopamine is the only neurotransmitter governing motor function regulation .

Ophthalmic acid not only facilitated mobility but also significantly exceeded L-dopa in maintaining beneficial effects .

The discovery of the ocular acidcalcium-sensing receptor pathway , an unrecognised system , presents intriguing opportunities for study and therapeutic treatments in movement disorders , particularly for individuals with Parkinson ’ s disease .

This research included extensive metabolic analyses of several brain chemicals to determine those linked to motor function in the absence of dopamine .

Following comprehensive behavioural , biochemical , and pharmacological evaluations , ophthalmic acid was validated as an alternative neurotransmitter .

A significant obstacle in Parkinson ’ s therapy is the incapacity of neurotransmitters to traverse the blood-brain barrier , necessitating the administration of L-Dopa to patients for conversion to dopamine inside the brain .

They are now developing medications that either provide ophthalmic acid to the brain or augment the brain ’ s capacity to synthesise it as they further investigate the whole neurological role of this molecule .

Ophthalmic acid functions as a neurotransmitter regulating motor activity . It enhanced mobility for almost 20 hours in Parkinson ’ s murine mice . This finding provides new opportunities for the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson ’ s disease .

And who knows , with this new molecule , L-Dopa might soon find itself ... “ out of commission !” – The HEALTH