In a post dated 24 May, Science Daily reports that scientists at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have developed a novel experimental model that reproduces for the first time the pattern of alpha-synuclein brain spreading and provides important clues on the mechanisms underlying this pathological process. They triggered the production of human alpha-synuclein in the lower rat brain and were able to trace the spreading of this protein toward higher brain regions.
The new experimental paradigm could promote the development of ways to halt or slow down disease development in humans. The research team headed by Prof. Donato Di Monte presents these results in the scientific journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201302475