This proteinopathic inclusions affects the production of a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) in the brain region (substantia nigra) called
(black substance) and ultimately impairs movement.
‘Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease (PD) are characterized by a specific patterned spread of proteinopathy (abnormal accumulation of proteins) at very early time points, even before the manifestation of behavioral symptoms. This may be discerned by investigating differences in network criticality states of brain cells.’
Crtical Networks of Brain
The study team established the study results by investigating the early pathophysiological mechanism and if the development of a PD-related proteinopathy was associated with changes in network function through an in vitro setup.
Engineered multielectrode arrays (MEAs) of human neural networks were utilized by reprogramming the human iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) to neural progenitor cells. The brain activity was then critically monitored for 3 weeks after the proteinopathy induction.
Thus the study shows that although developing pathology at early onset is not clearly manifested in standard measurements of network function, it may be discerned by investigating differences in network criticality states.
The approach opens up some exciting new avenues for identification and understanding the pathological development that underlies various neurodegenerative diseases.
Source: Medindia
