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Neurodegenerative diseases

Parkinson's pathology in a fly

Nature volume 404, pages 341–343 (2000)Cite this article

Human life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past century. But can we really enjoy our extra years? Diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, characterized by the death of certain nerve-cell populations and consequent dementia or movement defects, threaten more and more elderly people in the Western world. Many of the molecules behind these diseases have been identified, but we still lack a coherent understanding of the processes involved. On page 394 of this issue1, however, Feany and Bender offer a new way to tackle the problem. They have developed a model of Parkinson's disease in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster that reproduces many of the features of the human disorder. The hope is that, with this model, we can learn much about the disease and, perhaps, new ways to treat it.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. The pathological hallmark of the disease is the accumulation of fibrous protein deposits in neuronal cytoplasm (Lewy bodies) and nerve fibres (Lewy neurites) in the brain. These deposits may interfere with normal neuronal function. Selective death of the neurons that normally secrete the neurotransmitter dopamine results in a movement disorder that is characterized by muscle rigidity and resting tremor. The neurons that are affected in patients with Parkinson's disease are found in the regions of the brain called the substantia nigra and the locus coeruleus (and form the nigrostriatal dopamine system).

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Figure 1: A central role for α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adolf-Butenandt-Institute Department of Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Schillerstrasse 44, Munich, 80336, Germany

    Christian Haass & Philipp J. Kahle

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  1. Christian Haass
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  2. Philipp J. Kahle
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Correspondence to Christian Haass or Philipp J. Kahle.

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Haass, C., Kahle, P. Parkinson's pathology in a fly . Nature 404, 341–343 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35006188

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