The Parkinsonian worms are able to evaluate as many as 1,000 potential drugs a year, and researchers received federal funding that could increase that to one million a year. Pierce-Shimomura led the team to identify the "motor switching" problem the worms seemed to have when switching from swimming to crawling. To identify new therapeutics, the worms that have been mutated to be deficient in producing dopamine, are put through the same paces that lead to the immobility of Parkinson disease, but in the presence of a drug. If the drug somehow helps the worms brains overcome the dopamine deficiency and they transition to crawling, the lab has a therapeutic potential. So far a particular compound has shown promising effects in the worms, and has been approved for the use in humans for treatment of another condition.
There needs to be a Increase in the experiments done, to find new treatments for the diseases that plagues the world. Parkinson disease affects about half a million Americans, and with the spread of love to all over the world, genetics for the disease are being passed down to newer generations. With the new drugs the disease can be beaten and progress can be made to help the battle it in the future. Also not only should the attempt be made to further the progress to better the situation of the people suffering from this disease but all the diseases around the world. As we are growing to become one grand country and trying to live peacefully, we need to be able to procreate and live happily free of disease or the fear of death of disease.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110191958.htm
4 comments:
Crystal,
My mom has Parkinson’s disease and I am glad more research is coming to light. I know that this disease is slow onset, and many do not know they have it until symptoms occur later in life. However, with genomics and the ‘parkinsonian worms’ better outcomes can come for future generations dealing with this horrible disease. I agree when you say in paragraph 2, “there needs to be an increase in the experiments done, to find new treatments for the diseases that plague the world.” Without an increase in funding, more research cannot be done. We still have not found a cure to cancer, and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is far away from knowing a cause. There are environmental and genetic factors holding the secret. I often wonder if I will have PD later in life, and if I should have kids. It is a scary world already and never gets any easier. If these worms are showing this kind of discovery, I believe more funding and experiments will occur.
It is definetly something that needs more research, 2 of my grandparents suffered from PD.
I am happy to find out that something is being done to help this terrible disease. I never knew anyone personally that has suffered from Parkinson's Disease but I have seen videos and documentaries on people who suffer and hopefully these researchers will continue to find ways of helping these unfortunate people.
I don't personally know anyone who suffers from this disease but I am glad to know that there is research that is being done to help people who are suffering from this disease.
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