A groundbreaking study by a team of scientists at Mass General Brigham points to a method of pinpointing the causes of very common brain disorders that affect people of all ages, which could one day be used to treat them. stop completely, The Mirror reports.
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Researchers used deep brain stimulation (DBS) to a “precisely locate dysfunctions in the brain” responsible for four extremely common cognitive disorders.
The cognitive disorders that were “located”
they are very well known and affect a large number of people worldwide. These are Parkinson's disease, dystonia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome. This major breakthrough may help doctors eventually find treatment to reduce the symptoms of these diseases.
The research considered 261 patients from around the world, divided into four samples: 70 people with dystonia, 127 with Parkinson's disease, 50 diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and 14 with Tourette's syndrome. The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience in February 2024.
The scientists put electrodes into each person's brain and used a special computer program to find out which brain circuits weren't working properly in each of the four types of cognitive impairment.
“In simple terms, when brain circuits become dysfunctional, they can act as brakes on specific brain functions that the circuit normally performs,” Andreas Horn, MD and associate professor of neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a news release. “The application of DBS can release this brake and partially restore functionality,” he was very optimistic.
Andreas Horn is one of 39 researchers from 16 institutions who co-authored the study. “Based on the present findings, we can better understand why deep stimulation of a small subcortical structure in the brain has helped patients with various disorders. (…) Identifying these “dysfunctional networks” can help us better understand the four disorders and better target neuromodulation to help patients by improving symptoms”, he specified.
A genetic mutation paves the way for new therapies
It's not the first groundbreaking study to help Parkinson's patients this year. In January, researchers identified a previously unknown genetic mutation that provides significant protection against Parkinson's disease and could yield new medical treatments for the debilitating condition.
The previously unidentified mutation is rare, generally found in people of European descent, and, researchers say, knowing about it now can halve the risk of developing the disease. A previous study linked this mutation, located in a mitochondrial microprotein called SHLP2, to protection against aging-related diseases, including cancer. People with the mutation have stiffness and slowness in the limbs, along with tremors.
The most recent study conducted by the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and published last year in the journal “Molecular Psychiatry” showed that SHLP2 levels increase with the onset of Parkinson's disease. Professor Pinchas Cohen, the lead author of the study, says he is excited about these findings, because they represent an important step in the development of therapies including for Alzheimer's.
“This discovery opens exciting new directions for the development of precision medicine-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease. It helps us better understand why people get Parkinson's and how we might develop new therapies for this devastating disease. It highlights the relevance of exploring mitochondria-derived microproteins as a new approach to preventing and treating aging-related diseases,” specified Prof. Pinchas Cohen.
