MultiPark conducts multidisciplinary research on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, spanning from molecule to patient. Many of the research projects are collaborations between Lund University and Region Skåne. The aim is to understand why these diseases arise, improve diagnostics, and develop more effective treatments.
Early detection and simpler diagnostics
Early diagnosis is crucial for providing the right care and advancing research toward future treatments. Recently, a study from one of MultiPark’s research groups showed that a combination of a simple smell test and advanced analysis of cerebrospinal fluid can predict Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia with high precision. The method predicted the presence of Lewy bodies linked to these diseases with 94 percent accuracy, while nearly half of the patients were spared the invasive part of the examination.
We hope to see our combined strategy, with smell-function testing as a pre-screening method, become routine in patient care
“We hope to see our combined strategy, with smell-function testing as a pre-screening method, become routine in patient care as soon as possible,” say Rik Ossenkoppele and Oskar Hansson, who led the study in the Clinical Memory Research unit.
Read more about the study here.
Molecular understanding of the brain’s map and behavior
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established symptom-relieving treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Thin electrodes are surgically implanted in specific parts of the brain where they deliver electrical impulses that stabilize the disrupted signals caused by the disease. So far, the technique is mainly used to treat motor symptoms, and misplacement of the electrodes can lead to unwanted side effects. This is something Åsa Mackenzie aims to address through her work leading the Molecular Neuroanatomy group.
We believe that DBS could also be used to treat psychiatric symptoms such as apathy, anxiety, and depression,
“We believe that DBS could also be used to treat psychiatric symptoms such as apathy, anxiety, and depression, which often reduce quality of life already in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease,” says Åsa Mackenzie.
To reduce side effects and open up the possibility of treating non-motor symptoms, Mackenzie’s team is mapping different parts of the brain. By studying how different genes are expressed in different regions, they complement the anatomical atlas with molecular profiles that may explain why DBS has certain effects in some regions but not others.
Another MultiPark research group that has made progress in mapping brain signaling circuits is Basal Ganglia Pathophysiology, led by Angela Cenci Nilsson. In animal models, they showed how different Parkinson’s medications affect brain activity in distinct ways. This may explain why some patients develop impulsive and compulsive behaviors as a side effect of their treatment.
L-DOPA and so-called dopamine agonists are two common Parkinson’s treatments. They bind with varying affinity to different dopamine receptors. The group’s experiments showed that drugs primarily activating receptors in deeper brain regions affected impulse control, while those activating more superficial regions mainly influenced motor function.
L-DOPA could be combined with dopamine agonists to allow for lower doses of both medications, thereby reducing the risk of unwanted effects
“our results suggest that L-DOPA could be combined with dopamine agonists to allow for lower doses of both medications, thereby reducing the risk of unwanted effects,” explains Angela Cenci Nilsson.
Read more about the identified brain pathway behind impulsivity in Parkinson’s treatment here.
Better treatments
Over the past year, MultiPark research groups have also taken major steps toward more precise treatments that not only relieve symptoms but also target the underlying causes of the disease. New strategies aim both to protect and replace the nerve cells that are lost in Parkinson’s disease.
Thanks to a significant investment, the Molecular Neuromodulation group, led by Tomas Björklund, is working to develop gene therapy using targeted viral vectors. They have developed a technique that combines artificial intelligence with advanced experiments in organoids, so-called mini-brains, grown from human stem cells. Using this model, the researchers aim to create virus-like particles that can specifically reach and protect dopamine-producing neurons. The hope is that the treatment can eventually be delivered through a simple injection into the cerebrospinal fluid, making it accessible to more patients.
we have succeeded in creating a first generation of synthetic viruses that are far more effective than what was previously available. They infect dopamine neurons
“So far, we have succeeded in creating a first generation of synthetic viruses that are far more effective than what was previously available. They infect dopamine neurons with very high specificity,” says Tomas Björklund.
The project is still in a preclinical phase. Read more about the gene therapy project here.
Another approach focuses on replacing the lost nerve cells at later stages of the disease by developing dopamine-producing nerve cells from stem cells. Through close collaboration between experimental and clinical researchers, these discoveries have been translated into a treatment approach. In a clinical trial at Skåne University Hospital, lab-grown cells have recently been transplanted into Parkinson’s patients – a clear example of how developing new treatments requires insights at the molecular level.
“The clinical trial have now reached its primary endpoint and the results are being analyzed,
“The clinical trial have now reached its primary endpoint and the results are being analyzed,” tell Malin Parmar and Gesine Paul-Visse, research group leaders within MultiPark who have led the experimental and clinical parts of the project.
Read more about how the project has developed from basic research to clinical trials within MultiPark’s research groups here.
Together, all these projects point toward a future where MultiPark’s research contributes to earlier diagnosis and more precise treatments for Parkinson’s disease through collaboration between experimental and clinical researchers.
